What do you think?
Heart of Carolina #4
A Wedding Invitation
After returning home from teaching English at a refugee camp in the Philippines, Samantha Bravencourt enjoys her quiet life working at her mother's clothing boutique in Falls Church, Virginia. When she receives an invitation to a wedding in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, she looks forward to reconnecting with her college friend. Instead her life collides with Carson, a fellow teacher and the man who broke her heart, and a young Amerasian refugee named Lien who needs Samantha and Carson's help to find her mother before Lien's own wedding. When the search for Lien's mother reveals surprising secrets from the past, Samantha must reevaluate her own memories and decide whether to continue to play it safe or take a risk that could change her life.
323 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2011
About the author
Alice J. Wisler
13 books76 followers* Born in Osaka, Japan and lived in Japan for 18 years
* Went to Kyoto International School and Canadian Academy
* Majored in Social Work and graduated in 1983 from Eastern Mennonite University
* Worked at a group home for disadvantaged kids outside of Philadelphia
* Taught English and Culture Orientation at a refugee camp in the Philippines
* Taught English as a Second Language in Japan
* Speaks and teaches onWriting the Heartache
* Has three kids on earth, and one in Heaven
* Recently got married to Carl on 2/7/09
Alice J. Wisler is a public speaker, advocate, fundraiser, and the author of two contemporary novels, How Sweet It Is and Rain Song, a Christy Award finalist. She has been a guest on several radio and TV programs to promote her self-published cookbooks, Slices of Sunlight and Down the Cereal Aisle. She has a Bachelor of Science from Eastern Mennonite University and has traveled the world in jobs that minister to people. Alice and her family live in Durham, North Carolina.
* Went to Kyoto International School and Canadian Academy
* Majored in Social Work and graduated in 1983 from Eastern Mennonite University
* Worked at a group home for disadvantaged kids outside of Philadelphia
* Taught English and Culture Orientation at a refugee camp in the Philippines
* Taught English as a Second Language in Japan
* Speaks and teaches onWriting the Heartache
* Has three kids on earth, and one in Heaven
* Recently got married to Carl on 2/7/09
Alice J. Wisler is a public speaker, advocate, fundraiser, and the author of two contemporary novels, How Sweet It Is and Rain Song, a Christy Award finalist. She has been a guest on several radio and TV programs to promote her self-published cookbooks, Slices of Sunlight and Down the Cereal Aisle. She has a Bachelor of Science from Eastern Mennonite University and has traveled the world in jobs that minister to people. Alice and her family live in Durham, North Carolina.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
September 28, 2011
It was just a few days ago that I let out a delighted squeal when this book arrived in my mailbox. Now today I let out a contented sigh as I finished it, followed by a touch of sadness that it was over. Now I probably have to wait another whole year before I read another Alice Wisler novel. That truly makes me sad.
I have made no secret of the fact that Alice is hands down, my absolute favorite author. She has been since I read her debut novel, Rain Song. That book has been my all-time favorite book for a long time, but I’m thinking now it has some serious competition. I can’t decide if I like A Wedding Invitation better. If not better, it’s a definite tie. I guess I don’t need to decide, I just need to love the fact that I loved this book. I have loved all of Alice’s books. She has a writing style that is so tender, so sentimental, without an ounce of sappiness. I have yet to find another author who evokes the kinds of feelings in me that Alice’s books evoke. And, I read A LOT of books, as you may know.
So, what was it exactly that delighted me to my core? Hmmm, where to begin. Well, Samantha was one of the loveliest and most endearing characters I have ever had the pleasure of spending time with. I could just feel her loneliness and her sadness about the love she lost, but deep inside she always had a hopeful spirit and a desire to love.
And of course, an Alice Wisler novel wouldn’t be an Alice Wisler novel without a cast of supporting characters like Aunt Dovie and Beanie. Anyone who has lived in the South for any length of time knows people like this and we are better off because of them.
This book had a deeply personal feel to it as well. There is a lot of Alice on these pages, not just her words, but her heart as well. Her son Daniel was there, soaring high in the sky. Alice’s personal experiences, her losses and her triumphs gave this book the heart that I have come to look forward to in her books.
I was very comforted by the mother/daughter relationship between Samantha and her mother. It made me think a lot about my mother, which is always welcome. In fact, I would be willing to bet that if my mother was still alive, she and I would likely own a dress shop very much like Have A Fit. And it would be fun. There were other things that I felt personally drawn to as well. For instance, the tribute to the Vietnam veteran. That made me cry, because my dad served in Vietnam and he is my hero. It is those little things that made this book so very special to me. Those things have made this an unforgettable book.
That is what readers can expect from this book - to have a deeply personal experience, no matter what life has handed you. That is the brilliance of Alice’s writing. There is pain, sadness, grace, forgiveness, hope and tons of love in A Wedding Invitation. The sentimental feeling is so strong in this book. It was hard to get to the end of this book. I did not want it to end.
Read this book, absorb it, savor it, and fall in love all over again. Fall in love with second chances and with Alice’s lovely words. You’ll see what I mean.
I have made no secret of the fact that Alice is hands down, my absolute favorite author. She has been since I read her debut novel, Rain Song. That book has been my all-time favorite book for a long time, but I’m thinking now it has some serious competition. I can’t decide if I like A Wedding Invitation better. If not better, it’s a definite tie. I guess I don’t need to decide, I just need to love the fact that I loved this book. I have loved all of Alice’s books. She has a writing style that is so tender, so sentimental, without an ounce of sappiness. I have yet to find another author who evokes the kinds of feelings in me that Alice’s books evoke. And, I read A LOT of books, as you may know.
So, what was it exactly that delighted me to my core? Hmmm, where to begin. Well, Samantha was one of the loveliest and most endearing characters I have ever had the pleasure of spending time with. I could just feel her loneliness and her sadness about the love she lost, but deep inside she always had a hopeful spirit and a desire to love.
And of course, an Alice Wisler novel wouldn’t be an Alice Wisler novel without a cast of supporting characters like Aunt Dovie and Beanie. Anyone who has lived in the South for any length of time knows people like this and we are better off because of them.
This book had a deeply personal feel to it as well. There is a lot of Alice on these pages, not just her words, but her heart as well. Her son Daniel was there, soaring high in the sky. Alice’s personal experiences, her losses and her triumphs gave this book the heart that I have come to look forward to in her books.
I was very comforted by the mother/daughter relationship between Samantha and her mother. It made me think a lot about my mother, which is always welcome. In fact, I would be willing to bet that if my mother was still alive, she and I would likely own a dress shop very much like Have A Fit. And it would be fun. There were other things that I felt personally drawn to as well. For instance, the tribute to the Vietnam veteran. That made me cry, because my dad served in Vietnam and he is my hero. It is those little things that made this book so very special to me. Those things have made this an unforgettable book.
That is what readers can expect from this book - to have a deeply personal experience, no matter what life has handed you. That is the brilliance of Alice’s writing. There is pain, sadness, grace, forgiveness, hope and tons of love in A Wedding Invitation. The sentimental feeling is so strong in this book. It was hard to get to the end of this book. I did not want it to end.
Read this book, absorb it, savor it, and fall in love all over again. Fall in love with second chances and with Alice’s lovely words. You’ll see what I mean.
Did Not Finish
September 9, 2018 This is a mini ‘Books For Christian Girls’ review. It is not a full content review and will not receive one. These mini-reviews are years old and just for clarity on the rating the book received on Goodreads.
9/8/2017-
Really enjoyed the first book in this series, but this one...just not interested in the flash-backs, play-by-play actions, or the upcoming love triangle. :/
DNF @ 30pgs.
9/8/2017-
Really enjoyed the first book in this series, but this one...just not interested in the flash-backs, play-by-play actions, or the upcoming love triangle. :/
DNF @ 30pgs.
October 30, 2011
A Wedding Invitation by Alice J. Wisler
I received a copy of this book for review purposes from Bethany House Publishers. I am under no obligation to write a positive review, just an honest one.
A Wedding Invitation by Alice J. Wisler is a contemporary Christian fiction novel. The book goes back and forth between the mid-80s to the early-90s. We meet the main character, Samantha, a woman in her early 30s who is still yet to be married. She receives a wedding invitation to a friend's wedding, an old college friend, that takes her to visit her aunt who lives a few hours away.
While it quickly becomes apparent she attended the wrong wedding of a woman with the same name as her friend, she bumps into an old student of hers from the days that she taught at a Vietnamese Refugee camp in the Philippines. Bumping into her former student opens the floodgates of the memories of the times she spent there, including the man that broke her heart, Carson.
While she may have attended the wrong wedding, Sam meets a wonderful young ma at the wedding who finally intrigues here. Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, shortly thereafter she sees Carson once again, causing her heart to feel confusion that she had hoped to always avoid.
Honoring a request to help her former student find her mother before her former student gets married, Sam works in close proximity with both her new flame, and with her old crush, Carson. Will Samantha be able to trust enough to love once again? And if so, which man is the right one for her?
Read A Wedding Invitation to find out!
I have to say I have really mixed feelings about this book. While it was well-written I just didn't connect with the Vietnamese aspect of the book. I don't think it's that that was boring or poorly-written, but rather that it's an area of the world that I have minimal personal interest in, which makes my lack of interest more my fault than the author's.
Samantha was an interesting character. I wanted to love her but at times I couldn't understand her, even when I knew what she was thinking and what her logic was behind doing what she did. Maybe it is that I would have handled everything so completely differently than she did.
Also, I think the book being also set in a sort of Southern setting also kept me disinterested. I am not one that loves the south, or the southern lifestyle so those characters just didn't appeal to me as much.
I also found it hard to predict the outcome for the majority of the book. It's a romance, we all know Samantha is going to end up with someone, but I just couldn't guess if it was her old flame or her new one. That kept me wondering and was probably one of the main reasons that I finished the book.
If you love Vietnam and its culture, this is the book for you. But if you find that highly uninteresting, this may not be the best choice for you. While well written, the topic of books is so vitally important to keep the audience members interested. Again, I don't think it was due to the author's poor writing or anything like that, just my complete lack of interest in that culture.
Wanting to end in praise though, I will say I would definitely try out another of Alice J. Wisler's books without hesitation!
3 out of 5 stars.
I received a copy of this book for review purposes from Bethany House Publishers. I am under no obligation to write a positive review, just an honest one.
A Wedding Invitation by Alice J. Wisler is a contemporary Christian fiction novel. The book goes back and forth between the mid-80s to the early-90s. We meet the main character, Samantha, a woman in her early 30s who is still yet to be married. She receives a wedding invitation to a friend's wedding, an old college friend, that takes her to visit her aunt who lives a few hours away.
While it quickly becomes apparent she attended the wrong wedding of a woman with the same name as her friend, she bumps into an old student of hers from the days that she taught at a Vietnamese Refugee camp in the Philippines. Bumping into her former student opens the floodgates of the memories of the times she spent there, including the man that broke her heart, Carson.
While she may have attended the wrong wedding, Sam meets a wonderful young ma at the wedding who finally intrigues here. Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, shortly thereafter she sees Carson once again, causing her heart to feel confusion that she had hoped to always avoid.
Honoring a request to help her former student find her mother before her former student gets married, Sam works in close proximity with both her new flame, and with her old crush, Carson. Will Samantha be able to trust enough to love once again? And if so, which man is the right one for her?
Read A Wedding Invitation to find out!
I have to say I have really mixed feelings about this book. While it was well-written I just didn't connect with the Vietnamese aspect of the book. I don't think it's that that was boring or poorly-written, but rather that it's an area of the world that I have minimal personal interest in, which makes my lack of interest more my fault than the author's.
Samantha was an interesting character. I wanted to love her but at times I couldn't understand her, even when I knew what she was thinking and what her logic was behind doing what she did. Maybe it is that I would have handled everything so completely differently than she did.
Also, I think the book being also set in a sort of Southern setting also kept me disinterested. I am not one that loves the south, or the southern lifestyle so those characters just didn't appeal to me as much.
I also found it hard to predict the outcome for the majority of the book. It's a romance, we all know Samantha is going to end up with someone, but I just couldn't guess if it was her old flame or her new one. That kept me wondering and was probably one of the main reasons that I finished the book.
If you love Vietnam and its culture, this is the book for you. But if you find that highly uninteresting, this may not be the best choice for you. While well written, the topic of books is so vitally important to keep the audience members interested. Again, I don't think it was due to the author's poor writing or anything like that, just my complete lack of interest in that culture.
Wanting to end in praise though, I will say I would definitely try out another of Alice J. Wisler's books without hesitation!
3 out of 5 stars.
September 29, 2011
The cover of this book is one of the cutest I have seen...maybe ever! It just invites me in to smell that gorgeous flower, and see what sort of romance lies between the pages.
Well, unfortunately, that's where the excitement ended. I so wanted to enjoy this book, but the combination of too many secondary characters, multiple back and forth trips between locations (both past and present), and a self-absorbed main character all put me off. It wasn't that I didn't like Samantha...she just got on my nerves! Her immaturity was on full display in the flashbacks scattered throughout the story. She seemed to have gotten over most of that when the story shifted to semi-present day (semi-present meaning most of the story was set in the 90s, and the back story in the 80s), but she didn't make the smartest of decisions. Her "romance" (if you can call it that) with Carson never seemed natural...more infatuation than anything, in my opinion.
The concept of the book was interesting and somewhat clever. Samantha received a wedding invitation in the mail for a friend of hers named Avery Jones. Due to a gust of wind blowing away the outer addressed envelope, she doesn't realize that the invitation actually doesn't belong to her, but to someone else--a fact she finally realizes when she arrives at the wedding. While that title-inspired portion happens pretty early, the concept shows up again in a different way later on in the book that I liked much more.
All in all, I'd rate the book as simply good. The writer's voice was nice, and I felt that she conveyed the story that she wanted to tell since it is partly based on her own personal experiences. Had some of my own personal quirks been absent, I think the story could've been much better.
Well, unfortunately, that's where the excitement ended. I so wanted to enjoy this book, but the combination of too many secondary characters, multiple back and forth trips between locations (both past and present), and a self-absorbed main character all put me off. It wasn't that I didn't like Samantha...she just got on my nerves! Her immaturity was on full display in the flashbacks scattered throughout the story. She seemed to have gotten over most of that when the story shifted to semi-present day (semi-present meaning most of the story was set in the 90s, and the back story in the 80s), but she didn't make the smartest of decisions. Her "romance" (if you can call it that) with Carson never seemed natural...more infatuation than anything, in my opinion.
The concept of the book was interesting and somewhat clever. Samantha received a wedding invitation in the mail for a friend of hers named Avery Jones. Due to a gust of wind blowing away the outer addressed envelope, she doesn't realize that the invitation actually doesn't belong to her, but to someone else--a fact she finally realizes when she arrives at the wedding. While that title-inspired portion happens pretty early, the concept shows up again in a different way later on in the book that I liked much more.
All in all, I'd rate the book as simply good. The writer's voice was nice, and I felt that she conveyed the story that she wanted to tell since it is partly based on her own personal experiences. Had some of my own personal quirks been absent, I think the story could've been much better.
October 12, 2011
This is the story of a girl who attends a friend’s wedding—only to find it’s not her friend at all, and the events set in motion by her being there just might change her life forever.
Samantha Bravencourt has been happy enough working in her mother’s store since returning from teaching refugees in the Philippines years before. She thinks attending the wedding will be safe enough; after all, it’s a quick trip, and she’ll be able to stay with her aunt. What could go wrong?
She meets a man, who is nice enough and cute enough and again, safe enough, but then she comes face to face with her past—a refugee family whose children she once taught, and another man she’d once loved. She finds that she still does. Will her heart be broken again, or this time, will it be for real? And can she help realize her former student’s dearest wish, to locate her birth mother in time to attend her wedding?
The seemingly random details—the disappearance of Samantha’s mother’s cat, the butterflies that her aunt raises and then releases at special occasions—and the way they interweave with the story’s themes are half this story’s charm. The details are very sweet, as are the way the author weaves in bits of her own experience—from the teaching in the Philippines to the memorial service at the cemetery. I found the story soothing and comforting, with deep issues handled gently. I usually prefer a more serious read, but this was a very nice change of pace, and Wisler’s style is smooth and engaging.
The storyline reminded me a bit of another Southern fiction title, A Hundred Years of Happiness by Nicole Seitz, and those who enjoy her, Beth Webb Hart, or Eva Marie Everson should enjoy Wisler’s work.
My thanks to the publisher for providing the review copy!
Samantha Bravencourt has been happy enough working in her mother’s store since returning from teaching refugees in the Philippines years before. She thinks attending the wedding will be safe enough; after all, it’s a quick trip, and she’ll be able to stay with her aunt. What could go wrong?
She meets a man, who is nice enough and cute enough and again, safe enough, but then she comes face to face with her past—a refugee family whose children she once taught, and another man she’d once loved. She finds that she still does. Will her heart be broken again, or this time, will it be for real? And can she help realize her former student’s dearest wish, to locate her birth mother in time to attend her wedding?
The seemingly random details—the disappearance of Samantha’s mother’s cat, the butterflies that her aunt raises and then releases at special occasions—and the way they interweave with the story’s themes are half this story’s charm. The details are very sweet, as are the way the author weaves in bits of her own experience—from the teaching in the Philippines to the memorial service at the cemetery. I found the story soothing and comforting, with deep issues handled gently. I usually prefer a more serious read, but this was a very nice change of pace, and Wisler’s style is smooth and engaging.
The storyline reminded me a bit of another Southern fiction title, A Hundred Years of Happiness by Nicole Seitz, and those who enjoy her, Beth Webb Hart, or Eva Marie Everson should enjoy Wisler’s work.
My thanks to the publisher for providing the review copy!
October 31, 2011
I was happy when I saw the book in the mailbox the other day. I have heard great things about it and was anxious to give it a go. Samantha's invited to her friend's wedding. As she is getting anxious to go she calls one of her friends to meet up with her. The day of the wedding she doesn't see anyone she knows or her friend. She goes into the church anyway as she wants to see her friend wed. Turns out Samantha was at the wrong wedding it was not her friend getting married after all, but a person with the same name. She does meet a nice gentleman at the wedding and they start to see each other a few times. As Sam goes to visit her aunt down in Winston-Salem she runs into a long-lost student she had taught in the Philippines. Huy invites her to his families restaurant where she sees Lien for the first time since she left. With this visit Carson ( her friend and co-worker from the Philippines ) learns of Samantha's whereabouts and tries to contact her. Sam doesn't know what to think about meeting up with Carson again after all these years.
I enjoyed learning about Samantha's teaching job and then coming back to the states to help her mom run the boutique shop. Then to learn of her family and their pasts. The romance aspect was nice and sweet not gushy or sappy. It was just the right tone.
The setting in both Virginia and North Carolina are described well. The author did a good job in her research.
This is a book I will reread again and again. This is a must read.
I enjoyed learning about Samantha's teaching job and then coming back to the states to help her mom run the boutique shop. Then to learn of her family and their pasts. The romance aspect was nice and sweet not gushy or sappy. It was just the right tone.
The setting in both Virginia and North Carolina are described well. The author did a good job in her research.
This is a book I will reread again and again. This is a must read.
December 23, 2011
When Samantha Bravencourt receives an invitation to Avery's wedding, she assumes it is her old college friend. However, when she arrives at the wedding, she discovers it's a different Avery. Deciding to stay at the wedding despite not knowing the bride or groom, Samantha runs into a former student, a Vietnamese refugee who is now in America, and her fellow teacher who broke her heart years before. Will Samantha be able to move on from the past hurt to see a beautiful future?
Although slow in some parts, this book is much more than a romance. It is about past hurts hindering a happy future. The book alternates between the past when Samantha taught the refugees and the current storyline, set in 1993/94. The flashbacks give depth to the plot and, more importantly, the characters although there sometimes seemed to be too many characters. Because there were such great characters, it seemed most of the book was about the characters themselves, not necessarily them doing anything, which stalled the pace of the novel.
Overall, A Wedding Invitation is a thought-provoking read.
I received this book in exchange for my review. My thoughts and opinions are my own.
Although slow in some parts, this book is much more than a romance. It is about past hurts hindering a happy future. The book alternates between the past when Samantha taught the refugees and the current storyline, set in 1993/94. The flashbacks give depth to the plot and, more importantly, the characters although there sometimes seemed to be too many characters. Because there were such great characters, it seemed most of the book was about the characters themselves, not necessarily them doing anything, which stalled the pace of the novel.
Overall, A Wedding Invitation is a thought-provoking read.
I received this book in exchange for my review. My thoughts and opinions are my own.
February 9, 2023
This is a delightful novel about being in the right place at the right time. The irony is that often we do not even realize that we are in the right place at the right time. Hindsight is often the only way we see this.
As with the rest of her novels, Ms. Wisler has brought to life a cast of characters that cause you to examine yourself and your own motives. One of my favorite quotes from the book comes from chapter forty-two:
“Yes, I think, the stories of our lives are never simple. There are complicated feelings and situations, and humans with complicated feelings in complicated situations. Like Thuy and Lien. There has to be more to their history than I will ever grasp—those hidden components, things that have gotten ‘pushed underneath all the living.’ Those components are what chronicle our lives, providing the vibrancy, sorrow, and frustration that can sound illogical to an outsider but make sense to the people involved.”
I highly recommend that you grab this book and settle in for a thought provoking journey. It is one of those pieces of work that will linger with you for days. Enjoy!
As with the rest of her novels, Ms. Wisler has brought to life a cast of characters that cause you to examine yourself and your own motives. One of my favorite quotes from the book comes from chapter forty-two:
“Yes, I think, the stories of our lives are never simple. There are complicated feelings and situations, and humans with complicated feelings in complicated situations. Like Thuy and Lien. There has to be more to their history than I will ever grasp—those hidden components, things that have gotten ‘pushed underneath all the living.’ Those components are what chronicle our lives, providing the vibrancy, sorrow, and frustration that can sound illogical to an outsider but make sense to the people involved.”
I highly recommend that you grab this book and settle in for a thought provoking journey. It is one of those pieces of work that will linger with you for days. Enjoy!
Read
June 25, 2024Create the perfect wedding invitation template with elegant designs and heartfelt wording. Start with a beautiful header featuring the names of the bride and groom, followed by a warm introduction inviting guests to join in the celebration. Include essential details such as the date, time, and location of the ceremony and reception. Add RSVP instructions and any additional information like dress code or special requests. Personalize your template with unique touches, such as a romantic quote or a custom monogram. With the right template, your wedding invitation will be a cherished keepsake for years to come.
May 4, 2018
Loved this book!
September 21, 2021
This book.was amazing read this book
November 12, 2022
I liked how there was no real conflict in the novel but I found the main character very awkward.
November 6, 2011
Samantha Bravencourt receives an invitation to a wedding that changes her life. She attends the wedding only to discover that she's at the wrong one. But while staying with her aunt for the wedding, she runs into a former student of hers from the Philippines. This encounter with her former student eventually brings Carson Brylie, the only man she's ever loved and who broke her heart years ago, back into her life. Together Samantha and Carson face their shared past as they help one of their former students, Lien, in locating her mother.
This was a really good book. Interwoven with Sam's experience in the Philippines and the events that have brought Sam and Carson together, I found myself drawn into the story from the beginning. Sam isn't perfect. And each trip to North Carolina brings her failings a little more to light. It's while she's there at her aunt's home that Sam comes to the realization that perhaps she was wrong about Lien so many years ago. She realizes that she needs to let go of the past and ask Lien's forgiveness, which the girl graciously gives. Yet through it all, Sam is trying hard to deny her feelings for Carson. Feelings that she believes she has no right in feeling after their time in the Philippines. Carson's a gentle, yet strong, presence in her life. He pursues her relentlessly until they both admit how they feel about each other.
One of the things I loved about this book, was the mother-daughter or aunt-niece relationships that were built. Sam is very close to her mother. Yet she resents her mother's independence. Her aunt offers genuine love and encouragement that Sam's mother doesn't give her. Not that Sam's mother doesn't love her - she does; she just has a hard time telling Sam that. The bond of friendship is also very prevalent in the book. Sam's aunt shares a deep bond with the women who board at her home. A bond of friendship that goes very very deep. And she shows Sam how important little things are in life. Forgiveness is another big theme in the book. Sam must forgive Carson for breaking her heart and learn to trust him again. She seeks Lien's forgiveness for not believing in her innocence while in the Philippines. And overall, Sam must really learn to trust God when things are out of control.
I'd never read anything by Alice J Wisler before. In fact, I'd never even heard of her. I'm pleased to admit that I will be willing to try out some of her other books and see if I enjoyed them as much as I did this one.
I received this book for free from Bethany House Publishers for an honest review. I was not required to like the book, though I did so very much. My thoughts and my opinions are my own.
This was a really good book. Interwoven with Sam's experience in the Philippines and the events that have brought Sam and Carson together, I found myself drawn into the story from the beginning. Sam isn't perfect. And each trip to North Carolina brings her failings a little more to light. It's while she's there at her aunt's home that Sam comes to the realization that perhaps she was wrong about Lien so many years ago. She realizes that she needs to let go of the past and ask Lien's forgiveness, which the girl graciously gives. Yet through it all, Sam is trying hard to deny her feelings for Carson. Feelings that she believes she has no right in feeling after their time in the Philippines. Carson's a gentle, yet strong, presence in her life. He pursues her relentlessly until they both admit how they feel about each other.
One of the things I loved about this book, was the mother-daughter or aunt-niece relationships that were built. Sam is very close to her mother. Yet she resents her mother's independence. Her aunt offers genuine love and encouragement that Sam's mother doesn't give her. Not that Sam's mother doesn't love her - she does; she just has a hard time telling Sam that. The bond of friendship is also very prevalent in the book. Sam's aunt shares a deep bond with the women who board at her home. A bond of friendship that goes very very deep. And she shows Sam how important little things are in life. Forgiveness is another big theme in the book. Sam must forgive Carson for breaking her heart and learn to trust him again. She seeks Lien's forgiveness for not believing in her innocence while in the Philippines. And overall, Sam must really learn to trust God when things are out of control.
I'd never read anything by Alice J Wisler before. In fact, I'd never even heard of her. I'm pleased to admit that I will be willing to try out some of her other books and see if I enjoyed them as much as I did this one.
I received this book for free from Bethany House Publishers for an honest review. I was not required to like the book, though I did so very much. My thoughts and my opinions are my own.
August 31, 2011
Samantha Bravencourt loves helping her mother at the clothing boutique shop. Though she used to teach at a refugee camp in the Philippines, she knows how much her mother needs her. When She receives a wedding invitation to her old college pal's wedding in Winston-Salem, NC, she's thrilled to be able to watch her get married.
The wedding ins't exactly what Sam expected . . .and somehow leads to a chance encounter with Carson Brylie, the man who once broke her heart, and the man who suddenly seems persistent on reconnecting with her. She'd love to just move on, but a young woman from her past also needs her help. . .and that requires that she and Carson work together. Can she forgive Carson and somehow experience the love she longed for so long ago?
I think I need to start this review, by saying that I
don't normally read chick-lit. While I'm at the prime age when this genre should appeal to me, it just doesn't seem to. With that said, I gushed over the premise of A Wedding Invitation. The very idea is absolutely genius!
Besides, what girl hasn't longed to come across that one guy who broke her heart years ago--and suddenly he wants to pursue her?
The romantic tension sparked off the pages of this story. I found it stirring emotions deep inside of me--ones that dealt with the same heart-break Samantha experienced. It's amazing how much I related to her current situation. I had to ask myself, "What if that one person came back in my life? How would I handle it?"
I enjoyed learning about the refugee camps and the work that goes on inside of them. I found that portion in the story very enlightening.
One thing I found a bit confusing in this novel is the very beginning. We open with the story in 1993. At first, I thought it must be a flashback. It wasn't. The story actually takes place in 1993, while the flashbacks going back to 1985.
I found the timing a bit to my disliking (kind of felt like a long time ago). Of course, these days, with social sites like Facebook and Twitter, a modern setting could have made the premise of the story absolutely impossible, so I can understand why the author chose use 1993 as the setting.
I felt like the ending came across as a little rushed, but then again, this genre isn't my strong suit, so this may be quite typical in chick-lit.
Chick-lit lovers will devour this story. I definitely recommend A Wedding Invitation.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
The wedding ins't exactly what Sam expected . . .and somehow leads to a chance encounter with Carson Brylie, the man who once broke her heart, and the man who suddenly seems persistent on reconnecting with her. She'd love to just move on, but a young woman from her past also needs her help. . .and that requires that she and Carson work together. Can she forgive Carson and somehow experience the love she longed for so long ago?
I think I need to start this review, by saying that I
don't normally read chick-lit. While I'm at the prime age when this genre should appeal to me, it just doesn't seem to. With that said, I gushed over the premise of A Wedding Invitation. The very idea is absolutely genius!
Besides, what girl hasn't longed to come across that one guy who broke her heart years ago--and suddenly he wants to pursue her?
The romantic tension sparked off the pages of this story. I found it stirring emotions deep inside of me--ones that dealt with the same heart-break Samantha experienced. It's amazing how much I related to her current situation. I had to ask myself, "What if that one person came back in my life? How would I handle it?"
I enjoyed learning about the refugee camps and the work that goes on inside of them. I found that portion in the story very enlightening.
One thing I found a bit confusing in this novel is the very beginning. We open with the story in 1993. At first, I thought it must be a flashback. It wasn't. The story actually takes place in 1993, while the flashbacks going back to 1985.
I found the timing a bit to my disliking (kind of felt like a long time ago). Of course, these days, with social sites like Facebook and Twitter, a modern setting could have made the premise of the story absolutely impossible, so I can understand why the author chose use 1993 as the setting.
I felt like the ending came across as a little rushed, but then again, this genre isn't my strong suit, so this may be quite typical in chick-lit.
Chick-lit lovers will devour this story. I definitely recommend A Wedding Invitation.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
November 4, 2011
One of the best yet hardest times of Samantha’s life is when she taught Vietnam refuges in the Philippines back in the 80’s. She still remembers that time every day and especially most recently when she is suddenly reunited with some of the people from that very camp. One person she gets goose bumps just thinking about seeing again is Carson. She always had a thing for Carson when they worked together in the Philippines but he had a girlfriend and was never quite available. When she finds out her aunt is arranging a reunion between her and Carson, Samantha is obviously flustered!
Throughout The Wedding Invitation the story switches between Samantha’s flashbacks of her time served in the Philippines and her current life. While I enjoyed trying to figure out what happened with Carson and Samantha in the Philippines to cause her the nerves, I also found the switching back a bit frustrating. I don’t think that aspect of the book flowed very well.
I also found the story to move along pretty slowly. I was enjoying the story but I just wanted to get to more of the good stuff faster. I hate say this but the main character Samantha just grated on my nerves. The way she was in the Philippines was very annoying and her attitude was just not pleasant. I did however like Carson. Carson had some strong values that he stuck to and that was very admirable.
A couple of the big themes in this book were forgiveness and judgment. This was a good reminder that we have no right to judge others because we have no idea of what they are going through or dealing with. Samantha had a bit of trouble learning to refrain from judging. Forgiveness was also portrayed a lot and I found it refreshing the way the book showed the healing that can take place with forgiveness.
While there were some aspects of the book I just didn’t enjoy, I feel that there are definitely people out there that will enjoy this story. Those that like Christian contemporary romance are sure to find this a fun story to read!
I received this book for free from Bethany House Publishers for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. My thoughts and opinions are my own.
Throughout The Wedding Invitation the story switches between Samantha’s flashbacks of her time served in the Philippines and her current life. While I enjoyed trying to figure out what happened with Carson and Samantha in the Philippines to cause her the nerves, I also found the switching back a bit frustrating. I don’t think that aspect of the book flowed very well.
I also found the story to move along pretty slowly. I was enjoying the story but I just wanted to get to more of the good stuff faster. I hate say this but the main character Samantha just grated on my nerves. The way she was in the Philippines was very annoying and her attitude was just not pleasant. I did however like Carson. Carson had some strong values that he stuck to and that was very admirable.
A couple of the big themes in this book were forgiveness and judgment. This was a good reminder that we have no right to judge others because we have no idea of what they are going through or dealing with. Samantha had a bit of trouble learning to refrain from judging. Forgiveness was also portrayed a lot and I found it refreshing the way the book showed the healing that can take place with forgiveness.
While there were some aspects of the book I just didn’t enjoy, I feel that there are definitely people out there that will enjoy this story. Those that like Christian contemporary romance are sure to find this a fun story to read!
I received this book for free from Bethany House Publishers for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. My thoughts and opinions are my own.
October 10, 2011
A Wedding Invitation
Alice J Wisler
c. 2011
Bethany House
ISBN: 9780764207334
$14.99
Contemporary Fiction
Past and present collide after Samantha attends what she thinks is her former roommate’s wedding. While visiting her esoteric aunt at a butterfly launch during a memorial service, a former student from the refugee camp where she worked several years ago invites her to a meal and destiny.
Wisler’s story of a quiet young woman with a broken heart and living in a rut is a sweet tale of misunderstanding, mistaken identity, judgment and forgiveness. Set in the early nineteen-nineties, with flashbacks to the mid-eighties, the tale is woven between Samantha’s experiences teaching American customs to Vietnamese refugees in the Philippines, awaiting placement after the end of the conflict. Samantha gives her heart to a fellow teacher, Carson, who’d promised his college sweetheart he’d remain faithful. When Sam realizes Carson means to keep his promise, she forgets about a future filled with plans to become a teacher, goes home and works for her emotionally reticent widowed mother.
After the chance encounter with her former student who is delighted to let her know that Carson lives nearby and would like to see her again, she eventually and reluctantly meets him. Their stories gradually come out and the misunderstandings are laid to rest. Even the wrongly accused student doesn’t hold Sam’s accusations of theft all those years ago against her, and asks for help finding the mother who gave her up for adoption.
Told in first person, A Wedding Invitation is an upbeat message that happiness and love involves risk, faith, and trust, and that helping others can revive even the dampest of spirits. Readers who enjoy the music and sounds of life at the end of the twentieth century, the news, the songs, the food and fun of the era, will enjoy this tale of a quirky aunt, mom, and shy young lady ready to come out of her shell.
Alice J Wisler
c. 2011
Bethany House
ISBN: 9780764207334
$14.99
Contemporary Fiction
Past and present collide after Samantha attends what she thinks is her former roommate’s wedding. While visiting her esoteric aunt at a butterfly launch during a memorial service, a former student from the refugee camp where she worked several years ago invites her to a meal and destiny.
Wisler’s story of a quiet young woman with a broken heart and living in a rut is a sweet tale of misunderstanding, mistaken identity, judgment and forgiveness. Set in the early nineteen-nineties, with flashbacks to the mid-eighties, the tale is woven between Samantha’s experiences teaching American customs to Vietnamese refugees in the Philippines, awaiting placement after the end of the conflict. Samantha gives her heart to a fellow teacher, Carson, who’d promised his college sweetheart he’d remain faithful. When Sam realizes Carson means to keep his promise, she forgets about a future filled with plans to become a teacher, goes home and works for her emotionally reticent widowed mother.
After the chance encounter with her former student who is delighted to let her know that Carson lives nearby and would like to see her again, she eventually and reluctantly meets him. Their stories gradually come out and the misunderstandings are laid to rest. Even the wrongly accused student doesn’t hold Sam’s accusations of theft all those years ago against her, and asks for help finding the mother who gave her up for adoption.
Told in first person, A Wedding Invitation is an upbeat message that happiness and love involves risk, faith, and trust, and that helping others can revive even the dampest of spirits. Readers who enjoy the music and sounds of life at the end of the twentieth century, the news, the songs, the food and fun of the era, will enjoy this tale of a quirky aunt, mom, and shy young lady ready to come out of her shell.
May 14, 2012
I have been looking forward to reading A Wedding Invitation for the past few months and I was not let down. Alice Wisler has a definite talent for crafting plots that exude depth and memorability. The title A Wedding Invitation did not prepare me for the strength or uniqueness of the novel. In fact, I wondered why the title was chosen until I finished reading the novel. A simple invitation seen in the beginning of story is the foundation for all of the events that follow. As I reflect on the novel, I realize that one event that seems of no consequence on the surface can generate life-changing ramifications. Once again, Wisler made me think beyond the pages of her novel.
The plot of A Wedding Invitation alternates between the East Coast if the U.S. in the early 1990s to a refugee camp in the Philippines in the late 1980s. Sam's story is as much about her past as it is her present, and the two are smoothly integrated into one novel. Her memories of her camp students and her reintroduction to one family focus on the plight of the Vietnamese and Amerasian refugees following the Vietnam war. This focus is eye-opening, and Wisler's compassion for the refugees who she met as a teacher like Sam shines through the pages.
Through the pages, I was transported to the dusty classrooms of the Philippines to the bustling city of Washington D.C. to the humid south in North Carolina. The characters are equally diverse, and I enjoyed them all...the main cast - Sam and her family, Carson, and Lien, and even more minimal characters like Sanjay, the owner of a neighboring business. Sam's Aunt Dovie and Beanie are often the sources of humor and charming quirkiness, but also invaluable wisdom. Although the novel is told from Sam's first-person perspective, the other characters were well-developed. The story of Sam's heartbreak unfolds as she opens up to Carson, and their love gently blossoms. Despite earlier heartache, we are left with a happy and satisfying ending.
The plot of A Wedding Invitation alternates between the East Coast if the U.S. in the early 1990s to a refugee camp in the Philippines in the late 1980s. Sam's story is as much about her past as it is her present, and the two are smoothly integrated into one novel. Her memories of her camp students and her reintroduction to one family focus on the plight of the Vietnamese and Amerasian refugees following the Vietnam war. This focus is eye-opening, and Wisler's compassion for the refugees who she met as a teacher like Sam shines through the pages.
Through the pages, I was transported to the dusty classrooms of the Philippines to the bustling city of Washington D.C. to the humid south in North Carolina. The characters are equally diverse, and I enjoyed them all...the main cast - Sam and her family, Carson, and Lien, and even more minimal characters like Sanjay, the owner of a neighboring business. Sam's Aunt Dovie and Beanie are often the sources of humor and charming quirkiness, but also invaluable wisdom. Although the novel is told from Sam's first-person perspective, the other characters were well-developed. The story of Sam's heartbreak unfolds as she opens up to Carson, and their love gently blossoms. Despite earlier heartache, we are left with a happy and satisfying ending.
March 16, 2015
Title: A WEDDING INVITATION
Author: Alice J. Wisler
Publisher: Bethany House
October 2011
ISBN 0764207334
Genre: Contemporary romance
Series: Heart of Carolina #4
It's hard to concentrate when the past keeps shoving its way into your thoughts...
After returning home from teaching in a refugee camp in the Philippines, Samantha Bravencourt enjoys her quiet life working at her mother's clothing boutique near Washington, D.C. When she receives an invitation to her friend's wedding in Winston-Salem, NC, she's excited to reconnect with her college pals.
But the wedding turns out quite differently than Sam expects. A chance encounter leads to a reunion with Carson Brylie, a fellow teacher and the man who once broke her heart, and Lien, a young Amerasian girl who desperately needs Sam and Carson's help.
But working with Carson might put Sam's tender heart at risk once again. Is she willing to forgive the past and take another chance on love?
A WEDDING INVITATION is book four in this series, preceded by Rain Song, How Sweet It Is, and Hattaras Girl, however, each book stands alone. I love contemporary romance, and am fond of first person, present tense, so that didn’t bother me. However, Sam seemed a bit one dimensional, and I didn’t like relationship between Sam and Carson at all. The romance wasn’t really anything to speak of.
I liked that Ms. Wisler was really a teacher of English in foreign countries, and that she knew what she was talking about in those parts. If you are interested in teaching English overseas, or like first person/present tense romance, you might like A WEDDING INVITATION. It is an older book, but still available.
3 stars. Available in ebook and paperback. 323 pages.
I received this book from www.paperbackswap.com and was not required to write a review.
Author: Alice J. Wisler
Publisher: Bethany House
October 2011
ISBN 0764207334
Genre: Contemporary romance
Series: Heart of Carolina #4
It's hard to concentrate when the past keeps shoving its way into your thoughts...
After returning home from teaching in a refugee camp in the Philippines, Samantha Bravencourt enjoys her quiet life working at her mother's clothing boutique near Washington, D.C. When she receives an invitation to her friend's wedding in Winston-Salem, NC, she's excited to reconnect with her college pals.
But the wedding turns out quite differently than Sam expects. A chance encounter leads to a reunion with Carson Brylie, a fellow teacher and the man who once broke her heart, and Lien, a young Amerasian girl who desperately needs Sam and Carson's help.
But working with Carson might put Sam's tender heart at risk once again. Is she willing to forgive the past and take another chance on love?
A WEDDING INVITATION is book four in this series, preceded by Rain Song, How Sweet It Is, and Hattaras Girl, however, each book stands alone. I love contemporary romance, and am fond of first person, present tense, so that didn’t bother me. However, Sam seemed a bit one dimensional, and I didn’t like relationship between Sam and Carson at all. The romance wasn’t really anything to speak of.
I liked that Ms. Wisler was really a teacher of English in foreign countries, and that she knew what she was talking about in those parts. If you are interested in teaching English overseas, or like first person/present tense romance, you might like A WEDDING INVITATION. It is an older book, but still available.
3 stars. Available in ebook and paperback. 323 pages.
I received this book from www.paperbackswap.com and was not required to write a review.
September 6, 2011
A Wedding Invitation is a sweet story of a woman who finds herself face to face with her past after attending a wedding that she was "accidentally" invited to. Filled with a cast of endearing and quirky characters, the story invites the reader on a journey that is as deep as it is light. I love how A Wedding Invitation takes readers on a romantic and sentimental excursion, while, at just the right moments, going deeper to ponder real issues without forcing them on the reader or disrupting the flow of the story.
The main character, Samantha, is not perfect (what a relief!), but she is intriguing and refreshing. I found her recollections of her time spent in refugee camps in the Philippines fascinating, yet I appreciated that this part of Samantha's life did not elevate her to some sort of hero status in the reader's eyes. If anything, at times she distanced herself from the experience, only to have it surface in the end in a redeeming way that will touch readers.
As a lover of mother-daughter stories, I also particularly loved reading about Samantha's relationship with her mother, as well as with her Aunt who boards a cast of unusual women in her home. If you have read The Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood, there are times that this novel has that same feel to it, although the over all story is much different. And the ending? I love how this novel ends. There is nothing better than an ending in which all the pieces come together to remind us that what we think is just chance in a person's life, is anything but.
This is one of those books that deserves to be read with a perfect cup of coffee, tea, or lemonade with your feet propped up. I highly recommend A Wedding Invitation for its lyrical prose and absorbing storyline.
The main character, Samantha, is not perfect (what a relief!), but she is intriguing and refreshing. I found her recollections of her time spent in refugee camps in the Philippines fascinating, yet I appreciated that this part of Samantha's life did not elevate her to some sort of hero status in the reader's eyes. If anything, at times she distanced herself from the experience, only to have it surface in the end in a redeeming way that will touch readers.
As a lover of mother-daughter stories, I also particularly loved reading about Samantha's relationship with her mother, as well as with her Aunt who boards a cast of unusual women in her home. If you have read The Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood, there are times that this novel has that same feel to it, although the over all story is much different. And the ending? I love how this novel ends. There is nothing better than an ending in which all the pieces come together to remind us that what we think is just chance in a person's life, is anything but.
This is one of those books that deserves to be read with a perfect cup of coffee, tea, or lemonade with your feet propped up. I highly recommend A Wedding Invitation for its lyrical prose and absorbing storyline.
October 30, 2011
A Wedding Invitation by Alice J. Wisler
This story is told from the perspective of the main character, Samantha Bravencourt. In the beginning she goes from her present time, 1993, to her past when she worked at a refugee camp in the Philippines in the 1980's. So we get the background of her story. She fell in love with a young man named Carson Brylie but he had a girlfriend back home. Seven years later she still has a flame that burns for him even though they no longer have contact.
Samantha receives a wedding invitation for one her old college friends. She goes but does not recognize anyone, including the bride or groom! She does meet Taylor the PI though and so she stays for the reception. While in North Carolina she sees one of her students from the camp, Huy, and he invites her to their restaurant. His sister, Lien, who was quite a nuisance to Sam. Through meeting them she is reconnected to Carson but also she goes on a few dates with Taylor when she gets back home to Falls Church, VA. When Lien wants to find her mother, ends up she was living with her Uncle's family, Carson and Sam join together to find her and Taylor being a PI helps as well.
Samantha struggles to keep her heart from falling further for Carson as he already broke it once but the more they are together the harder it is. She stays with her Aunt Dovie when she goes to N.C. Aunt Dovie takes in all kinds of human strays with unique personalities. Cute story.
**Received from Bethany House for review
http://justjudysjumbles.blogspot.com/...
This story is told from the perspective of the main character, Samantha Bravencourt. In the beginning she goes from her present time, 1993, to her past when she worked at a refugee camp in the Philippines in the 1980's. So we get the background of her story. She fell in love with a young man named Carson Brylie but he had a girlfriend back home. Seven years later she still has a flame that burns for him even though they no longer have contact.
Samantha receives a wedding invitation for one her old college friends. She goes but does not recognize anyone, including the bride or groom! She does meet Taylor the PI though and so she stays for the reception. While in North Carolina she sees one of her students from the camp, Huy, and he invites her to their restaurant. His sister, Lien, who was quite a nuisance to Sam. Through meeting them she is reconnected to Carson but also she goes on a few dates with Taylor when she gets back home to Falls Church, VA. When Lien wants to find her mother, ends up she was living with her Uncle's family, Carson and Sam join together to find her and Taylor being a PI helps as well.
Samantha struggles to keep her heart from falling further for Carson as he already broke it once but the more they are together the harder it is. She stays with her Aunt Dovie when she goes to N.C. Aunt Dovie takes in all kinds of human strays with unique personalities. Cute story.
**Received from Bethany House for review
http://justjudysjumbles.blogspot.com/...
November 28, 2011
I guess we probably all have someone from our past that could return at any moment and sweep us off our feet, or do we? Sometimes I think people are in the past for a reason.
The book is a really light read. The flashbacks seem too randomly thrown in, but they are the most interesting parts. I thought it was interesting to see Sam's different experience with another culture, and the dynamic between her and Carson. Though I wasn't sure why she was attracted to him since he was a jerk to her. Then again I guess all of us have stumbled upon that mistake.
The part that just bugged me to no end was how dumb Sam is. She is seriously the offensive, stereotypical female that people talk about. She mixes up events all the time such as going to the wrong wedding, or wearing her work shoes when it isn't a work day. You can only do that so many times before it is annoying. Plus she did not know what a Beluga whale is! Seriously? I live in the middle of the country in rural Georgia, of the U.S, and I know what a Beluga whale is. I've known since childhood, but she is an adult woman who has traveled to foreign countries and she doesn't know what a Beluga whale is? That is messed up.
Anyways, if you can overlook the annoyance of the lead character then you'll enjoy this light, easy read. It took me a few days to get through it, which is longer than usual. It wasn't standout, but readable. You can check out A Wedding Invitation at Amazon.
This book was provided by Bethany House Publishers in exchange for a review.
The book is a really light read. The flashbacks seem too randomly thrown in, but they are the most interesting parts. I thought it was interesting to see Sam's different experience with another culture, and the dynamic between her and Carson. Though I wasn't sure why she was attracted to him since he was a jerk to her. Then again I guess all of us have stumbled upon that mistake.
The part that just bugged me to no end was how dumb Sam is. She is seriously the offensive, stereotypical female that people talk about. She mixes up events all the time such as going to the wrong wedding, or wearing her work shoes when it isn't a work day. You can only do that so many times before it is annoying. Plus she did not know what a Beluga whale is! Seriously? I live in the middle of the country in rural Georgia, of the U.S, and I know what a Beluga whale is. I've known since childhood, but she is an adult woman who has traveled to foreign countries and she doesn't know what a Beluga whale is? That is messed up.
Anyways, if you can overlook the annoyance of the lead character then you'll enjoy this light, easy read. It took me a few days to get through it, which is longer than usual. It wasn't standout, but readable. You can check out A Wedding Invitation at Amazon.
This book was provided by Bethany House Publishers in exchange for a review.
November 21, 2011
This is a nice, sweet story. Nothing really outstanding about it, but not bad either. It was fairly predicable. I read another book (Hatteras Girl) by this author about a year ago and seemed to like it too. =)
The current setting is the 1990s. Samantha works for her mom in Washington, D.C., but goes to NC to visit friends and that also happens to be where her aunt lives. There are numerous chapter flashbacks to the 1980s when Samantha worked in the Philippines with Carson at the refugee camp for people trying to get out of places like Vietnam. Apparently the author actually did this in real life, so it was kind of interesting learning about the camp and the process people went through to get to America.
As I said, the ending is fairly predicable and I won't go into details because that would just give it away faster. Samantha is someone who has had some bad experiences in life and love and has had a hard time getting past them.... is she able too?
If you like cute, clean and predicable reads... this could be for you. =)
Disclosure: The book was provided to me free of charge by the publisher Bethany House Publishers for my honest review. All opinions in this post are my own and I did not receive any other compensation.
The current setting is the 1990s. Samantha works for her mom in Washington, D.C., but goes to NC to visit friends and that also happens to be where her aunt lives. There are numerous chapter flashbacks to the 1980s when Samantha worked in the Philippines with Carson at the refugee camp for people trying to get out of places like Vietnam. Apparently the author actually did this in real life, so it was kind of interesting learning about the camp and the process people went through to get to America.
As I said, the ending is fairly predicable and I won't go into details because that would just give it away faster. Samantha is someone who has had some bad experiences in life and love and has had a hard time getting past them.... is she able too?
If you like cute, clean and predicable reads... this could be for you. =)
Disclosure: The book was provided to me free of charge by the publisher Bethany House Publishers for my honest review. All opinions in this post are my own and I did not receive any other compensation.
December 29, 2011
I was so excited when I got this book in the mail after I had won it from Library Things Early Reviewers Giveaway. But when I started turning the pages and reading the words in this book I pretty much got tired of it really fast.
The main character is so one dimensional and throughout the whole story you really never get to see her grow. I caught myself wishing this story was more about the other characters in this story and not about Samantha. If it weren't for those characters, I probably would have marked this book as a DNF and gave up. I just couldn't get into the love story, it just seemed to fake to me, there was so many things that were so unbelievable to me.
I will say I loved the character Dovie, I think she is what got me to finish this book. Also I will say I think this book was really well written. I liked the history in the book. I'm a big history buff though so if you don't like History you might not like it.
If you want a light read, this is defiantly that. I just really got annoyed with Samantha, so much that I have to give this book a lower rating then I would have if it wasn't mainly about her.
A Wedding invitation wasn't he best book I've read, but it was okay for a light read.
I give this book a 2 1/2!
The main character is so one dimensional and throughout the whole story you really never get to see her grow. I caught myself wishing this story was more about the other characters in this story and not about Samantha. If it weren't for those characters, I probably would have marked this book as a DNF and gave up. I just couldn't get into the love story, it just seemed to fake to me, there was so many things that were so unbelievable to me.
I will say I loved the character Dovie, I think she is what got me to finish this book. Also I will say I think this book was really well written. I liked the history in the book. I'm a big history buff though so if you don't like History you might not like it.
If you want a light read, this is defiantly that. I just really got annoyed with Samantha, so much that I have to give this book a lower rating then I would have if it wasn't mainly about her.
A Wedding invitation wasn't he best book I've read, but it was okay for a light read.
I give this book a 2 1/2!
October 6, 2011
For a fun, fast breezy read, A Wedding Invitation will feel like you slipped into a romantic chick-movie. With the use of a mousy, absent minded girl, we learn that Samantha our quiet heroine is actually suffering from a broken heart as she flashes back to the 80's and shares her story of teaching in the Philippines, falling in love and having it all crumble before her. In a second chance- one that must be fate unfinished, that love lost long ago comes blowing back into her life.
With its charm and message of forgiveness, I found Wisler's story fun with all the 80's music and culture as well as touching with its characters finding there way back from misunderstandings, helping others and growing both personally and spiritually. I did have a few problems with the transitions in this story and didn't really connect to any of the characters, had it not been for the culture and 80's flashbacks, I probably wouldn't have liked this novel, but its light tone outweighed what I found lacking.
With its charm and message of forgiveness, I found Wisler's story fun with all the 80's music and culture as well as touching with its characters finding there way back from misunderstandings, helping others and growing both personally and spiritually. I did have a few problems with the transitions in this story and didn't really connect to any of the characters, had it not been for the culture and 80's flashbacks, I probably wouldn't have liked this novel, but its light tone outweighed what I found lacking.
October 31, 2011
Many Thanks to Bethany House Publishing for giving me this book for review.
Oh my goodness, this was one of the most confusing writing styles I have ever read. The fact that it was in present tense didn't really phase me but the thought process of the main character along with the general plot of the story wasn't really plausible for me.
I didn't understand a lot of her reasoning, I don't know why they had to jump back and forth in time when speaking the flashbacks got the story across just fine. They romantic point of the plot was a joke. I could in no way believe that the two characters would really get together. They were static. No growth in anyone's personality and overall I was left extremely dissatisfied.
Were it not for Dovie I wouldn't even have finished the book. Dovie reminded me of the crazy aunt that every one is supposed to have in their life. I loved her and her house and wouldn't mind being her one day.
Pass on this one. I was left confused and not caring about the characters at all.
Oh my goodness, this was one of the most confusing writing styles I have ever read. The fact that it was in present tense didn't really phase me but the thought process of the main character along with the general plot of the story wasn't really plausible for me.
I didn't understand a lot of her reasoning, I don't know why they had to jump back and forth in time when speaking the flashbacks got the story across just fine. They romantic point of the plot was a joke. I could in no way believe that the two characters would really get together. They were static. No growth in anyone's personality and overall I was left extremely dissatisfied.
Were it not for Dovie I wouldn't even have finished the book. Dovie reminded me of the crazy aunt that every one is supposed to have in their life. I loved her and her house and wouldn't mind being her one day.
Pass on this one. I was left confused and not caring about the characters at all.
April 9, 2021
3.5 stars. A mistake plunges the heroine into a back-and-forth story of remembering life and heartbreak in the Philippines and a chance at a do-over. Filled with unique characters and flavored with the author's own overseas experience, this book is a bit less fluffy than one might suspect from the cover. Interesting story with a sweet conclusion.
December 29, 2011
This book was a real struggle for me. I really tried to like it...I thought the premise was a cute idea, but I had a few issues with it that made the book just ok.
I did NOT like the main character. She was just ho-hum, and was pretty one dimensional.
The writing style seemed really stilted until the end of the book.
I did like the support characters who really were what made the story. I wish the focus had been more on the support characters rather than Sam. I also liked learning about the Vietnamese refugees that would have also been fun to explore a little more from a historical history perspective.
Overall, the book was ok. The further along, the more I enjoyed it...if you can make it past the first half, it is a good book.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher, Bethany House, for their blogger’s review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
I did NOT like the main character. She was just ho-hum, and was pretty one dimensional.
The writing style seemed really stilted until the end of the book.
I did like the support characters who really were what made the story. I wish the focus had been more on the support characters rather than Sam. I also liked learning about the Vietnamese refugees that would have also been fun to explore a little more from a historical history perspective.
Overall, the book was ok. The further along, the more I enjoyed it...if you can make it past the first half, it is a good book.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher, Bethany House, for their blogger’s review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
October 15, 2011
A year in the Phillipines teaching Vietnam refugees was just that, one year of her life - right? Samantha finds out that isn't the case when that year of her life is thrown back at her as she runs into pieces of her past when she attends a wedding. It takes her on a journey into the past that is coinciding with her present and brings her face to face with the young man she fell in love with in the Phillipines. Now that they have run into each other again will things be any different? Can Samantha balance her obligations to her mom, her job and help track down a missing Vietnamese woman all while trying to fend off her feelings for Carson.
This book is a new offering from Alice Wisler that will entertain as you follow Samantha on her journey to where she should be. And can I just say that this cover is absolutely delightful and I love it!
This book is a new offering from Alice Wisler that will entertain as you follow Samantha on her journey to where she should be. And can I just say that this cover is absolutely delightful and I love it!
November 16, 2011
This book was kind of interesting. I liked the storyline, but I think the title didn't really go along too much with it. Yes Sam received an invitation to a wedding and yes she went to the wedding, but all of that occurred in the very beginning of the book and after what happened, which wasn't really very eventful, the wedding really had nothing to do with the story. Sam worked in the Philippines as a teacher and had her heart broken by Carson. Unfortunately, Sam never quite got over it. She ends up seeing Carson later after being back in the United States and she finds it difficult to be around him. The rest of the story really is about these two, but it seems rather slow moving. Don't get me wrong, I did like these two characters and the background story between them, but it just didn't seem to flow smoothly. I did like the book, but I can't say that it was one of my favorites.
January 21, 2013
Ever been in the wrong place by an honest mistake? That is what happened to Samantha. She got an invitation to a wedding thinking it was from her old friend, come to discover that she did not even know the couple. Me myself, I would have turned around and walked out. Not Samantha, she hung in there. While there she has a chance encounter that leads to the one person she always loved...The rekindled friendship takes a while on both sides, but finally blossoms.
This books is a bit of a slow read, and not my normal type of book. All in all it was a good book.
Please note that I did receive a free copy of this book from Bethany House in exchange for my honest review. Everyone has the right to their own opinion.
This books is a bit of a slow read, and not my normal type of book. All in all it was a good book.
Please note that I did receive a free copy of this book from Bethany House in exchange for my honest review. Everyone has the right to their own opinion.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews