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The Vintage Summer Wedding
A Vera Wang dress, the reception at a sophisticated London venue, and a guest list that reads like a society gossip column are all the ingredients of Anna Whitehall’s perfect wedding that never was…
Spending the summer uncovering hidden treasures in a vintage shop, Anna can still vividly remember both her childhood dreams; the first was that she’d become a Prima Ballerina, and dance on stage resplendent in a jewel-encrusted tutu. The second was that at her wedding she would walk down the aisle wearing a collective-gasp-from-the-congregation dress.
Years ago Anna pirouetted out of her cosy hometown village in a whirl of ambition…but when both of those fairy-tale dreams came crashing down around her ballet shoes, she and fiancée Seb find themselves back in Nettleton, their wedding and careers postponed indefinitely…
Don’t they say that you can never go home again? Sometimes they don’t get it right… This one summer is showing Anna that your dreams have to grow up with you. And sometimes what you think you wanted is just the opposite of what makes you happy…
Don't miss this brilliant sequel to The Parisian Christmas Bake Off out May 2014!
ebook
First published May 21, 2014
84 people are currently reading
468 people want to read
About the author
Jenny Oliver
24 books254 followersJenny Oliver is the bestselling author of The Summerhouse by the Sea - the PERFECT book for your summer reading! Out May 18th.
Her book The Sunshine and Biscotti Club, set in sunny Tuscany, was nominated for the Best Contemporary Romantic Novel at the RONA awards.
Jenny wrote her first book on holiday when she was ten years old. Illustrated with cut-out supermodels from her sister's Vogue, it was an epic, sweeping love story not so loosely based Dynasty.
Since then Jenny has gone on to get an English degree and a job in publishing that's taught her what it takes to write a novel (without the help of the supermodels). She wrote her first book The Parisian Christmas Bake Off on the beach in a notebook that would end up covered in sand each afternoon and damp from the sea. Nowadays her inspiration comes from her love of all things vintage, a fascination with other people’s relationships and an unwavering belief in happy ever after!
If you are looking for some bite-size reads why not try her Cherry Pie Island novella series. The first five books - The Grand Reopening of Dandelion Cafe, The Vintage Ice Cream Van Road Trip, The Great Allotment Proposal, One Summer Night at the Ritz and Four Weddings and a White Christmas are out NOW! Mouthwatering, feel-good and the ultimate escapism!
Follow her on Twitter @JenOliverBooks, Instagram jenoliverbooks or go to the website jennyoliverbooks.com to find out more about Jenny, her books and read her blog!
Her book The Sunshine and Biscotti Club, set in sunny Tuscany, was nominated for the Best Contemporary Romantic Novel at the RONA awards.
Jenny wrote her first book on holiday when she was ten years old. Illustrated with cut-out supermodels from her sister's Vogue, it was an epic, sweeping love story not so loosely based Dynasty.
Since then Jenny has gone on to get an English degree and a job in publishing that's taught her what it takes to write a novel (without the help of the supermodels). She wrote her first book The Parisian Christmas Bake Off on the beach in a notebook that would end up covered in sand each afternoon and damp from the sea. Nowadays her inspiration comes from her love of all things vintage, a fascination with other people’s relationships and an unwavering belief in happy ever after!
If you are looking for some bite-size reads why not try her Cherry Pie Island novella series. The first five books - The Grand Reopening of Dandelion Cafe, The Vintage Ice Cream Van Road Trip, The Great Allotment Proposal, One Summer Night at the Ritz and Four Weddings and a White Christmas are out NOW! Mouthwatering, feel-good and the ultimate escapism!
Follow her on Twitter @JenOliverBooks, Instagram jenoliverbooks or go to the website jennyoliverbooks.com to find out more about Jenny, her books and read her blog!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
March 22, 2023
Anna dreamed of becoming the Prima Ballerina since she was young. Her dream of becoming the Prima Ballerina did not come to fruition but she had yet another dream and that was to have a beautiful wedding with her fiancée, Seb at one of the most prestigious hotels in London. But when that dream also comes crashing down, she has no choice but to move back to her childhood hometown with Seb. Anna does not fancy moving back as it is a small village and she feels that life moves slowly if at all in Nettleton. She also does not fancy facing all the people from her childhood because when she was leaving a decade ago, she said that she won't ever come back to this backwater of a place. Well, life has other plans.
That blurb sounded so amazing that I could not wait to dive into this. And that starting was perfect. I was reeled in by the picturesque setting and Anna's inner turmoil. Anna had a high-paying job with an equally important title. She was on the top when it came to fashion and everything chic. But when things went sideways, she had to move back and had to start a job working in the village's only antique shop. The people around her were really unkind and I wanted to know all the reasons for their hatred toward Anna, but I found none. Anna supposedly had a lot of attitude when she was a teenager and Anna's mum had wanted her to work hard at ballet so she could make it big in the industry as Anna was a natural. That's it. That was the reason for everyone's hatred toward her that she wanted to leave the small town and move to a bigger one with big dreams. All these so-called adults could not let that go even a decade later.
In the beginning, it was all good but then Anna's attitude changed. Some for good, some for bad. Anna's character grew up for sure and I liked that. I also liked that her dreams changed and she found happiness. I am really happy for her but there were so many problems that I found with the writer's opinions.
Pretty much everyone was rooting against Anna in Nettleton but then they also asked her for help. Hypocrites! Anna knew that they are being hypocrites but she never stands up for herself. For example, Jackie (I think that's what her name is) says so many mean things right after asking for Anna's help and Anna did not even once tell Jackie off. This happened a few times in only a span of a few pages. The children she's been helping were equally ungrateful, I can ignore that as they were kids. Then there was her own best friend (I forgot her name) who was always steering Anna the wrong way and again Anna just goes along with that. I mean this was a recurring thing that did not sit well with me. For Anna to be so determined, she sure was a foot mat for these people.
The worst thing for me was how Anna's father was made out to be a hero and her mother was made out to be a monster. Her father cheated on her mother multiple times when Anna was a child and that's why Anna's mother decided to move away with Anna. She taught Anna to dream big. In the end, the writer made fun of Anna's mother dating younger men in her old age and getting Botox and stuff like that when Anna's father was dating Anna's best friend from school in the present even after Anna told them that she isn't happy about that. It was the same best friend who was always steering Anna the wrong way and then she starts to date Anna's father like that's not disgusting. Anna's mum always played the biggest part in her life but when it came to her wedding, Anna did not even bat an eyelash when her mum said that she won't be attending if Anna's father were to attend because Anna's father did humiliate her all those years ago and frankly, that was the start of all these events. Also, Anna's father wasn't even there for her when she found out about her dad's cheating. I mean, seriously? We are still shaming women who stand up for themselves and for getting Botox and dating younger men but rally behind men who date women half their age and in this case, his daughter's best friend even after putting the ex-wife through all that hell.
Also, the book is supposed to be about the wedding but the wedding was barely covered in a few pages right at the end which I skim-read anyway because I had lost all interest in this and did not want to DNF so I read very quickly. The reason was Anna's mum not attending and how she was shamed as I mentioned before.
I completely forgot about the fiancée Seb and turns out so did the writer. He was barely there and even when he was, he was a generic guy. There's nothing remarkable about him. He had no personality and he definitely had no chemistry with Anna.
I know I am in the minority when I say that I did not mind Anna as other people have called her unlikeable but to me, she was not that unlikeable. I actually understood her position as it couldn't be easy to move from a big job and big town to a small town with basically no job prospects. Other than that, she didn't do anything wrong to have everyone treat her the way they treated her. Once again, the people around her were way too harsh, and immature, and honestly, they were the unlikeable ones to me.
To sum it up, I loved the beginning, I loved Anna's character growth, I liked how her dreams changed, and I loved the picturesque setting but other than that I have listed enough reasons for me not enjoying this as much as I thought I would.
1.75 stars
That blurb sounded so amazing that I could not wait to dive into this. And that starting was perfect. I was reeled in by the picturesque setting and Anna's inner turmoil. Anna had a high-paying job with an equally important title. She was on the top when it came to fashion and everything chic. But when things went sideways, she had to move back and had to start a job working in the village's only antique shop. The people around her were really unkind and I wanted to know all the reasons for their hatred toward Anna, but I found none. Anna supposedly had a lot of attitude when she was a teenager and Anna's mum had wanted her to work hard at ballet so she could make it big in the industry as Anna was a natural. That's it. That was the reason for everyone's hatred toward her that she wanted to leave the small town and move to a bigger one with big dreams. All these so-called adults could not let that go even a decade later.
In the beginning, it was all good but then Anna's attitude changed. Some for good, some for bad. Anna's character grew up for sure and I liked that. I also liked that her dreams changed and she found happiness. I am really happy for her but there were so many problems that I found with the writer's opinions.
Pretty much everyone was rooting against Anna in Nettleton but then they also asked her for help. Hypocrites! Anna knew that they are being hypocrites but she never stands up for herself. For example, Jackie (I think that's what her name is) says so many mean things right after asking for Anna's help and Anna did not even once tell Jackie off. This happened a few times in only a span of a few pages. The children she's been helping were equally ungrateful, I can ignore that as they were kids. Then there was her own best friend (I forgot her name) who was always steering Anna the wrong way and again Anna just goes along with that. I mean this was a recurring thing that did not sit well with me. For Anna to be so determined, she sure was a foot mat for these people.
The worst thing for me was how Anna's father was made out to be a hero and her mother was made out to be a monster. Her father cheated on her mother multiple times when Anna was a child and that's why Anna's mother decided to move away with Anna. She taught Anna to dream big. In the end, the writer made fun of Anna's mother dating younger men in her old age and getting Botox and stuff like that when Anna's father was dating Anna's best friend from school in the present even after Anna told them that she isn't happy about that. It was the same best friend who was always steering Anna the wrong way and then she starts to date Anna's father like that's not disgusting. Anna's mum always played the biggest part in her life but when it came to her wedding, Anna did not even bat an eyelash when her mum said that she won't be attending if Anna's father were to attend because Anna's father did humiliate her all those years ago and frankly, that was the start of all these events. Also, Anna's father wasn't even there for her when she found out about her dad's cheating. I mean, seriously? We are still shaming women who stand up for themselves and for getting Botox and dating younger men but rally behind men who date women half their age and in this case, his daughter's best friend even after putting the ex-wife through all that hell.
Also, the book is supposed to be about the wedding but the wedding was barely covered in a few pages right at the end which I skim-read anyway because I had lost all interest in this and did not want to DNF so I read very quickly. The reason was Anna's mum not attending and how she was shamed as I mentioned before.
I completely forgot about the fiancée Seb and turns out so did the writer. He was barely there and even when he was, he was a generic guy. There's nothing remarkable about him. He had no personality and he definitely had no chemistry with Anna.
I know I am in the minority when I say that I did not mind Anna as other people have called her unlikeable but to me, she was not that unlikeable. I actually understood her position as it couldn't be easy to move from a big job and big town to a small town with basically no job prospects. Other than that, she didn't do anything wrong to have everyone treat her the way they treated her. Once again, the people around her were way too harsh, and immature, and honestly, they were the unlikeable ones to me.
To sum it up, I loved the beginning, I loved Anna's character growth, I liked how her dreams changed, and I loved the picturesque setting but other than that I have listed enough reasons for me not enjoying this as much as I thought I would.
1.75 stars
June 4, 2014
I liked this book, the story and the character of Anna. I'm rating it two stars instead of three because all the other people in Anna's life - her father, her old school peers, people in the village - were so unbelievably harsh and unpleasant to her.
With the book being from Anna's point of view, the only justification for the hostile words of the people in the village was her own belief that she had been a teenager with attitude...and well, it seemed unlikely that an entire village would take against her for being, for all purposes, a normal teenager.
Otherwise, I found the initial topsy-turvy descriptions entertaining and I identified with Anna - there have certainly been places or jobs I just didn't want to be in and yet seemed to have no choice about the matter.
So overall a fun book about finding your own dream when you've been chasing someone else's dream for so long, but the majority of the characters annoyed me.
With the book being from Anna's point of view, the only justification for the hostile words of the people in the village was her own belief that she had been a teenager with attitude...and well, it seemed unlikely that an entire village would take against her for being, for all purposes, a normal teenager.
Otherwise, I found the initial topsy-turvy descriptions entertaining and I identified with Anna - there have certainly been places or jobs I just didn't want to be in and yet seemed to have no choice about the matter.
So overall a fun book about finding your own dream when you've been chasing someone else's dream for so long, but the majority of the characters annoyed me.
April 12, 2015
I loved the soft, cute cover of The Vintage Summer Wedding and after reading the synopsis it sounded like a light, fun and charming read and having enjoyed one of the author’s previous books before I wanted to give this one a try.
Anna and fiancé Seb have had to return to their childhood village after losing her job and losing a lot of money that she has spent on their wedding which has now been cancelled things are not looking good and she cannot share Seb’s enthusiasm at returning back to where they started.
I really struggled with the beginning of this book and I put that down our main character Anna, she really isn’t a likeable character in fact she was just a spoilt madam and although she has lost her job and had to cancel her wedding I had no sympathy for her at all and I struggled to see what the lovely Seb saw in her.
The second half of this book was when this book come into its own, the supporting characters were great and eventually Anna began to mellow thanks to them. I was surprised at the storyline because I was expecting it to be more wedding related but I did enjoy Anna’s involvement with the dance act and also her work in the little antiques shop especially when she was organising the hoard to find the beautiful garden which was hidden away behind.
This was an enjoyable read once it got going I just wished the main character would have been more likeable. I will still look forward to picking up another book by this author as she has a great style of writing that flows so effortlessly.
Anna and fiancé Seb have had to return to their childhood village after losing her job and losing a lot of money that she has spent on their wedding which has now been cancelled things are not looking good and she cannot share Seb’s enthusiasm at returning back to where they started.
I really struggled with the beginning of this book and I put that down our main character Anna, she really isn’t a likeable character in fact she was just a spoilt madam and although she has lost her job and had to cancel her wedding I had no sympathy for her at all and I struggled to see what the lovely Seb saw in her.
The second half of this book was when this book come into its own, the supporting characters were great and eventually Anna began to mellow thanks to them. I was surprised at the storyline because I was expecting it to be more wedding related but I did enjoy Anna’s involvement with the dance act and also her work in the little antiques shop especially when she was organising the hoard to find the beautiful garden which was hidden away behind.
This was an enjoyable read once it got going I just wished the main character would have been more likeable. I will still look forward to picking up another book by this author as she has a great style of writing that flows so effortlessly.
January 8, 2020
A thoroughly unlikeable mc. Then you get to know her and understand why she is how she is, a little liking creeps in.
Some of the other characters are very easy to like, especially Seb, Rachel, and Philippe.
Some of the other characters are very easy to like, especially Seb, Rachel, and Philippe.
September 4, 2025
Was ok for a quick summer read on the beach, felt a lot like a Netflix rom-com that you don’t need to be paying too much attention to. Pleasant but nothing to write home about.
July 29, 2014
I was given a copy of this book by the publisher Carina in exchange for an honest review which I'm more than happy to give.
The book begins with Anna along with her fiancé Seb returning to Anna's hometown after living the dream in London, spending all their savings, planning for the wedding of the century - Anna had such huge plans. She was never, ever going back to the small town once she headed for the lights and the razzamatazz of the big smoke, leaving with disparaging remarks as she left, no-one was in any doubt of her plans.
Oh, how the mighty fell, losing her job and all the money she'd spent planning the elaborate wedding meant returning to a job sorted out by daddy with her tail between her legs. I didn't like Anna one bit at the start of the book, thinking her to be a spoilt, egotistical so and so. However, Jenny provided family, friends, old enemies, challenging situations and people for Anna to bounce off and boy did she.
With each scenario, person and encounter a layer was stripped from Anna until I was left feeling I knew and understood her, I could see how and why she behaved as she did. Negative things that happen in our childhood if not dealt with can seriously affect the adults we become and Anna was no exception - feeling she constantly needed to prove herself and be the best was draining and left her soulless.
Fight or flight is something we all encounter at some point and I loved the fact that no matter how much Anna talked about leaving and getting back to London she started fighting back, earning the respect and friendship of those around her. All the time her fiancé Seb, acting as her ballast, accepting and embracing their new life whilst Anna blew hot and cold.
This really did end up being a lovely book, with a beautiful ending that came because of friendships, understandings and acceptance - Anna gaining strength of character once she let go of the pressure and hang-ups she felt she had hanging over her. Making new and unexpected friendships along the way.
The book begins with Anna along with her fiancé Seb returning to Anna's hometown after living the dream in London, spending all their savings, planning for the wedding of the century - Anna had such huge plans. She was never, ever going back to the small town once she headed for the lights and the razzamatazz of the big smoke, leaving with disparaging remarks as she left, no-one was in any doubt of her plans.
Oh, how the mighty fell, losing her job and all the money she'd spent planning the elaborate wedding meant returning to a job sorted out by daddy with her tail between her legs. I didn't like Anna one bit at the start of the book, thinking her to be a spoilt, egotistical so and so. However, Jenny provided family, friends, old enemies, challenging situations and people for Anna to bounce off and boy did she.
With each scenario, person and encounter a layer was stripped from Anna until I was left feeling I knew and understood her, I could see how and why she behaved as she did. Negative things that happen in our childhood if not dealt with can seriously affect the adults we become and Anna was no exception - feeling she constantly needed to prove herself and be the best was draining and left her soulless.
Fight or flight is something we all encounter at some point and I loved the fact that no matter how much Anna talked about leaving and getting back to London she started fighting back, earning the respect and friendship of those around her. All the time her fiancé Seb, acting as her ballast, accepting and embracing their new life whilst Anna blew hot and cold.
This really did end up being a lovely book, with a beautiful ending that came because of friendships, understandings and acceptance - Anna gaining strength of character once she let go of the pressure and hang-ups she felt she had hanging over her. Making new and unexpected friendships along the way.
May 25, 2014
A story of a failed ballet dancer who was trained to win, but her world has collapsed and now she has to go back to her small home town.
Amazingly brilliant use of modern day language along side alleged properly speaking. Jenny is a star waiting to boom in the writing world. She has hit the nail on the head with this fantastic book. Loved the film references as well as the perfect descriptions that made you feel you were in the story.
This story made a sunny day even brighter, loved every page!!
Amazingly brilliant use of modern day language along side alleged properly speaking. Jenny is a star waiting to boom in the writing world. She has hit the nail on the head with this fantastic book. Loved the film references as well as the perfect descriptions that made you feel you were in the story.
This story made a sunny day even brighter, loved every page!!
October 25, 2014
Originally posted on http://beccasbooooks.blogspot.co.uk/
Oh my gosh! I absolutely LOVED LOVED LOVED The Vintage Summer Wedding. ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT!
I'd just like to say a huge thank you to one of my favourite publishers Carina UK! No matter what, I always seem to fall head over heels in love with Carina's titles, and The Vintage Summer Wedding by Jenny Oliver turned out to be another one of those beauties that I just couldn't leave alone. And of course, an even bigger thank you to author of this wonderful, smile-inducing story, Jenny Oliver. This is the first title that I have read by Jenny, and now I am completely convinced that she writes stories that are right up my street, therefore I will definitely be looking forward to and reading more of Jenny's work, without a doubt.
The Vintage Summer Wedding is all about Anna Whitehall, who once had her life mapped out ahead of her, but is now floundering in the messiness and un-glamorous lifestyle of living in Nettleton, her childhood village. Having just returned to Nettleton with her fiancee Seb, after her dream came crashing down around them both, Anna is truly not looking forward to settling back in. The mud and wheat fields are nothing compared to the life that she once dreamed she would have, full of glam parties, expensive clothes and gorgeous shoes. Whilst Seb had managed to land himself a job teaching at Nettleton's highs-school, Anna has to make do with a job in the local antique shop; a favor pulled by her father. It's a million miles away from Anna's imagined life of becoming a prima-ballerina, but unfortunately for now, it's the best option that she has got.
There were a hundred and one things that I adored about this title. A hundred and one reasons why I would gladly re-read it again and again and again. Jenny Oliver's writing style was just out of this world and mingled so perfectly with Anna's character. The entire plot flowed exceptionally well, leaving no holes or matters unearthed. It was like a patchwork blanket; weaved together beautifully and in the end, you're left looking back at something magnificent, something that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside, which is exactly how I felt just after finishing the last few words.
Anna's character and story within The Vintage Summer Wedding was marvelous. I loved every single little bit. Jenny begins this gorgeous title by bringing the reader right into the scene of action. She made Nettleton sound dark, uninviting and I was immediately drawn to the feeling of apprehension, that for some reason Anna really didn't want to be there. The very first sentence in the title made me imagine a scene like Armageddon; it was just so severe and serious sounding!
"They arrived in the dark in a heatwave."
See? Right away, Jenny sets the tone of the story, making everything that Anna comes out with seem down-beaten and points towards her not being very happy about being where she is. Rather than setting the scene by providing all of Anna's history before the story begins, Jenny chooses to begin the story first and then provides the reader with tons of little bursts of Anna's history as the plot progresses. I loved this tactic so much and Jenny ensured that I kept reading and reading! It worked a treat and I found it almost impossible to put my Kindle down. At every moment, I was dying to know what was going to happen next and it made me feel exhilarated. It was exciting and interesting and Jenny included everything that a good story should have.
When thinking about Jenny's main character, Anna, I have to say that I loved her. From the very beginning, Anna was full of negativity but, somehow, Jenny managed to hide away this tiny little spark of something else, something positive, beneath all of the moaning and whining. Thinking about it, I can kinda' see where Anna was coming from. Before heading to Nettleton, she was immersed in the city of London. She loved the thrill of it, the buzz, the business, the masses and masses of people stampeding the concrete day after day. And then suddenly, she was back where she started, after leaving Nettleton with a suitcase full of ambition and a warning to those behind her that she was "going to be a star!, she was back once more, with her tail between her legs. The contrast between Nettleton and London was so freaking huge, I could just imagine Anna felt like a fish out of water. She had messed everything up, she'd lost sight of her dream, and most of all, she wasn't a star. She was embarrassed at being back, horrified even, and when they pulled up outside of Primrose Cottage, I could just imagine the look of sheer disgust that would have spread right across Anna's face! I loved Anna's fierce determination but she was also a very stubborn and proud person; the pride being something that had been instilled in Anna, courtesy of her mother. I noticed how incredibly hard she found it to simply apologise to a person or to even give in. This did, truthfully, sometimes really aggravate me because trying to deal with a stubborn person can be so difficult at times, but there were certain reasons as to why Anna was like that and so her stubbornness and pride was completely and utterly made sense of. I found Anna hilarious, while other times I felt kinda' sorry for her. I rode a roller coaster of emotions with this character and it was fantastic. She was brilliant and smart, and I just couldn't shake this image from my head of a diamond covered in mud and dust. All she needed was a little dusting, a bit of a shake-up, and her shine would glow brighter than anything had ever shone before. I miss Anna now that it's over, silly as it sounds. She blossomed as the plot moved forward and it was just SO encouraging to read.
Seb, Anna's fiancee, was ridiculously cute. Adorable, even. He reminded me of a big, cuddly teddy bear, who had such a good soul and would never hurt anyone or anything intentionally. I imagined him as a really good guy; one of those rare ones. But, the one thing I will mention about Seb is that he just couldn't man up and stand up to his own mother, even when he knew that she was going too far in her little tirades. There were so many times when I wanted to give him a little shove and whisper, "Grow a pair, Seb!" Besides the whole mother thing though, Seb was awesome. The couple do go through a difficult patch through the majority of the story, which really added to the realness of it all. After all, nothing and nobody is perfect, are they? I also got the impression that Seb worshiped the ground that Anna walked on. He was ready and willing to do anything for that woman, and even after they lost everything and had to return to Nettleton, Seb kept his cool, put together a plan and told her it was going to be okay. A man in control, eh? Nothing better than that! These two were lovely, and added such a warm, and sometimes comical, atmosphere to The Vintage Summer Wedding.
Although it was a fun, summery and up-lifting read, there was just so much more hidden beneath the surface too! Not only was it all about a wedding, but it was about Anna's dreams and ambitions, her history with her mother and her outlook on life, and most definitely a few lessons that she needed to learn along the way. There was just so many things wrapped up in this beautiful story, I would be here writing my review all day long if I were to include them all. But I will say that it made me grin an incredible amount of times, and there were moments too, where I blinked the tears out of my eyes. It was beautifully written, with so many hidden messages and words of wisdom, including a myriad of characters that were fun and stupidly easy to love and smile at.
Becca's Books is giving The Vintage Summer Wedding by Jenny Oliver FIVE gorgeous little cupcakes. It left me feeling all fluttery and happy and I would definitely recommend this to any chick-lit lovers out there, any lovers of that adorable aspect of community spirit, of weddings put on hold, of childhood dreams and fierce mothers. This was just right up my street and I CANNOT WAIT to see what Jenny Oliver is going to come up with next. It'll definitely be getting added to my ever-growing to-read list, I can assure you!
Oh my gosh! I absolutely LOVED LOVED LOVED The Vintage Summer Wedding. ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT!
I'd just like to say a huge thank you to one of my favourite publishers Carina UK! No matter what, I always seem to fall head over heels in love with Carina's titles, and The Vintage Summer Wedding by Jenny Oliver turned out to be another one of those beauties that I just couldn't leave alone. And of course, an even bigger thank you to author of this wonderful, smile-inducing story, Jenny Oliver. This is the first title that I have read by Jenny, and now I am completely convinced that she writes stories that are right up my street, therefore I will definitely be looking forward to and reading more of Jenny's work, without a doubt.
The Vintage Summer Wedding is all about Anna Whitehall, who once had her life mapped out ahead of her, but is now floundering in the messiness and un-glamorous lifestyle of living in Nettleton, her childhood village. Having just returned to Nettleton with her fiancee Seb, after her dream came crashing down around them both, Anna is truly not looking forward to settling back in. The mud and wheat fields are nothing compared to the life that she once dreamed she would have, full of glam parties, expensive clothes and gorgeous shoes. Whilst Seb had managed to land himself a job teaching at Nettleton's highs-school, Anna has to make do with a job in the local antique shop; a favor pulled by her father. It's a million miles away from Anna's imagined life of becoming a prima-ballerina, but unfortunately for now, it's the best option that she has got.
There were a hundred and one things that I adored about this title. A hundred and one reasons why I would gladly re-read it again and again and again. Jenny Oliver's writing style was just out of this world and mingled so perfectly with Anna's character. The entire plot flowed exceptionally well, leaving no holes or matters unearthed. It was like a patchwork blanket; weaved together beautifully and in the end, you're left looking back at something magnificent, something that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside, which is exactly how I felt just after finishing the last few words.
Anna's character and story within The Vintage Summer Wedding was marvelous. I loved every single little bit. Jenny begins this gorgeous title by bringing the reader right into the scene of action. She made Nettleton sound dark, uninviting and I was immediately drawn to the feeling of apprehension, that for some reason Anna really didn't want to be there. The very first sentence in the title made me imagine a scene like Armageddon; it was just so severe and serious sounding!
"They arrived in the dark in a heatwave."
See? Right away, Jenny sets the tone of the story, making everything that Anna comes out with seem down-beaten and points towards her not being very happy about being where she is. Rather than setting the scene by providing all of Anna's history before the story begins, Jenny chooses to begin the story first and then provides the reader with tons of little bursts of Anna's history as the plot progresses. I loved this tactic so much and Jenny ensured that I kept reading and reading! It worked a treat and I found it almost impossible to put my Kindle down. At every moment, I was dying to know what was going to happen next and it made me feel exhilarated. It was exciting and interesting and Jenny included everything that a good story should have.
When thinking about Jenny's main character, Anna, I have to say that I loved her. From the very beginning, Anna was full of negativity but, somehow, Jenny managed to hide away this tiny little spark of something else, something positive, beneath all of the moaning and whining. Thinking about it, I can kinda' see where Anna was coming from. Before heading to Nettleton, she was immersed in the city of London. She loved the thrill of it, the buzz, the business, the masses and masses of people stampeding the concrete day after day. And then suddenly, she was back where she started, after leaving Nettleton with a suitcase full of ambition and a warning to those behind her that she was "going to be a star!, she was back once more, with her tail between her legs. The contrast between Nettleton and London was so freaking huge, I could just imagine Anna felt like a fish out of water. She had messed everything up, she'd lost sight of her dream, and most of all, she wasn't a star. She was embarrassed at being back, horrified even, and when they pulled up outside of Primrose Cottage, I could just imagine the look of sheer disgust that would have spread right across Anna's face! I loved Anna's fierce determination but she was also a very stubborn and proud person; the pride being something that had been instilled in Anna, courtesy of her mother. I noticed how incredibly hard she found it to simply apologise to a person or to even give in. This did, truthfully, sometimes really aggravate me because trying to deal with a stubborn person can be so difficult at times, but there were certain reasons as to why Anna was like that and so her stubbornness and pride was completely and utterly made sense of. I found Anna hilarious, while other times I felt kinda' sorry for her. I rode a roller coaster of emotions with this character and it was fantastic. She was brilliant and smart, and I just couldn't shake this image from my head of a diamond covered in mud and dust. All she needed was a little dusting, a bit of a shake-up, and her shine would glow brighter than anything had ever shone before. I miss Anna now that it's over, silly as it sounds. She blossomed as the plot moved forward and it was just SO encouraging to read.
Seb, Anna's fiancee, was ridiculously cute. Adorable, even. He reminded me of a big, cuddly teddy bear, who had such a good soul and would never hurt anyone or anything intentionally. I imagined him as a really good guy; one of those rare ones. But, the one thing I will mention about Seb is that he just couldn't man up and stand up to his own mother, even when he knew that she was going too far in her little tirades. There were so many times when I wanted to give him a little shove and whisper, "Grow a pair, Seb!" Besides the whole mother thing though, Seb was awesome. The couple do go through a difficult patch through the majority of the story, which really added to the realness of it all. After all, nothing and nobody is perfect, are they? I also got the impression that Seb worshiped the ground that Anna walked on. He was ready and willing to do anything for that woman, and even after they lost everything and had to return to Nettleton, Seb kept his cool, put together a plan and told her it was going to be okay. A man in control, eh? Nothing better than that! These two were lovely, and added such a warm, and sometimes comical, atmosphere to The Vintage Summer Wedding.
Although it was a fun, summery and up-lifting read, there was just so much more hidden beneath the surface too! Not only was it all about a wedding, but it was about Anna's dreams and ambitions, her history with her mother and her outlook on life, and most definitely a few lessons that she needed to learn along the way. There was just so many things wrapped up in this beautiful story, I would be here writing my review all day long if I were to include them all. But I will say that it made me grin an incredible amount of times, and there were moments too, where I blinked the tears out of my eyes. It was beautifully written, with so many hidden messages and words of wisdom, including a myriad of characters that were fun and stupidly easy to love and smile at.
Becca's Books is giving The Vintage Summer Wedding by Jenny Oliver FIVE gorgeous little cupcakes. It left me feeling all fluttery and happy and I would definitely recommend this to any chick-lit lovers out there, any lovers of that adorable aspect of community spirit, of weddings put on hold, of childhood dreams and fierce mothers. This was just right up my street and I CANNOT WAIT to see what Jenny Oliver is going to come up with next. It'll definitely be getting added to my ever-growing to-read list, I can assure you!
January 29, 2018
The Vintage Summer Wedding was written by an author who has certainly become one of my favourites, Jenny Oliver. Once again she has written a book based on many different characters based in the village of Nettleton.
With this book, the main character is a young couple who previously lived in Nettleton as children and young adults but when they wanted to make their own lives both of them moved to London. Anna Whitehall wanted to see her name in lights as a Prima ballerina, but for Anna, her dreams became dust when according to her own version of the story she grew too tall and had to make her living in a more conventional way. When Anna met Seb an old friend from school, they soon fell in love and decided they were meant to be together. What made Seb special was not only was he a gifted teacher who clearly loved his job, he also loved Anna and would have done anything for her to make her happy. But the decision to move back home was totally out of his control as they simply could no longer afford to live in the big city of London.
Both Anna and Seb were happy in London, living the dream until the day they could no longer afford to live the high life and both of them had to return home, which was easier for Seb but for Anna this was her worst nightmare.
Why I loved this book was Anna, her character had many dimensions and I loved how first of all the author introduced her and with each turn of the page she seemed to show the reader what made Anna the girl she was.
The main reason I loved this book so much was how the author shows each character, through very descriptive writing I was able to see each character and I felt like I was a fly on the wall watching Anna and her life spinning out of control.
The Vintage Summer Wedding also brings back characters from the author's earlier work [[ASIN:B00G2DLN82 The Parisian Christmas Bake Off]] which I would recommend to read first as it will extend your enjoyment of both books.
The Vintage Summer Wedding is an excellent book written by Jenny Oliver and I am very happy to recommend it as a great read.
I would like to state if you have a dislike for bad language, this book might not be the one for you as there was quite a bit of swearing throughout the book.
With this book, the main character is a young couple who previously lived in Nettleton as children and young adults but when they wanted to make their own lives both of them moved to London. Anna Whitehall wanted to see her name in lights as a Prima ballerina, but for Anna, her dreams became dust when according to her own version of the story she grew too tall and had to make her living in a more conventional way. When Anna met Seb an old friend from school, they soon fell in love and decided they were meant to be together. What made Seb special was not only was he a gifted teacher who clearly loved his job, he also loved Anna and would have done anything for her to make her happy. But the decision to move back home was totally out of his control as they simply could no longer afford to live in the big city of London.
Both Anna and Seb were happy in London, living the dream until the day they could no longer afford to live the high life and both of them had to return home, which was easier for Seb but for Anna this was her worst nightmare.
Why I loved this book was Anna, her character had many dimensions and I loved how first of all the author introduced her and with each turn of the page she seemed to show the reader what made Anna the girl she was.
The main reason I loved this book so much was how the author shows each character, through very descriptive writing I was able to see each character and I felt like I was a fly on the wall watching Anna and her life spinning out of control.
The Vintage Summer Wedding also brings back characters from the author's earlier work [[ASIN:B00G2DLN82 The Parisian Christmas Bake Off]] which I would recommend to read first as it will extend your enjoyment of both books.
The Vintage Summer Wedding is an excellent book written by Jenny Oliver and I am very happy to recommend it as a great read.
I would like to state if you have a dislike for bad language, this book might not be the one for you as there was quite a bit of swearing throughout the book.
October 23, 2019
This book was hard for me to get into for quite a while. The suspenseful crumbs, in the beginning, did not work for me because they simply confounded everything for me. I finally ascertained that Anna and Seb, engaged and flat broke, return to their hometown after they’ve spent everything on the wedding of the millennium. That’s obviously not happening now!
All of her plans, carefully crafted since a teen, where to get out of her hometown and be a big star. She was never coming back. She wasn’t very kind when she left, either, making returning even harder for her. No one is giving her a pass for being a mean, nasty teen – not her dad, her classmates, or others in town.
She was so high on her own pedestal, the fall was hard. Bone-jarring. She lost her job after her clients were stolen from her by her newly hired administrator. From the beginning, Anna had nothing going for her to make her a likable character. She was spoiled and condescending, with a huge ego. Seb, on the other hand, was enthusiastic about this change and their new life and lifestyle and coming back to where they as a couple started.
Being back at home, Anna encounters other characters, situations, challenges – and even a couple enemies – that bring out life from what seemed to be a cold, black heart. Slowly, she tried making the right choices and her history brings some clarity to some of the stone-cold block she was in the beginning. It is easy to understand how she became that individual. Anna’s constant strive to prove herself was one of those side-effects of her childhood. It took so much from her.
I thoroughly enjoyed the cast of characters that rounded out the book. With their new connections, Anna began to evolve. From her work in the antique shop she spent time in as a child to her hard work with the town’s rag-tag ensemble of kid dancers, she begins to come into her own element and shine.
Anna took her hand of cards – crappy as they were – and started making things work for her. Excelling where she had strengths. Despite talking about going back to London and pursuing a different life equivalent to her old one, step by step she begins to earn respect from others that then blossoms into some great friendships.
All of her plans, carefully crafted since a teen, where to get out of her hometown and be a big star. She was never coming back. She wasn’t very kind when she left, either, making returning even harder for her. No one is giving her a pass for being a mean, nasty teen – not her dad, her classmates, or others in town.
She was so high on her own pedestal, the fall was hard. Bone-jarring. She lost her job after her clients were stolen from her by her newly hired administrator. From the beginning, Anna had nothing going for her to make her a likable character. She was spoiled and condescending, with a huge ego. Seb, on the other hand, was enthusiastic about this change and their new life and lifestyle and coming back to where they as a couple started.
Being back at home, Anna encounters other characters, situations, challenges – and even a couple enemies – that bring out life from what seemed to be a cold, black heart. Slowly, she tried making the right choices and her history brings some clarity to some of the stone-cold block she was in the beginning. It is easy to understand how she became that individual. Anna’s constant strive to prove herself was one of those side-effects of her childhood. It took so much from her.
I thoroughly enjoyed the cast of characters that rounded out the book. With their new connections, Anna began to evolve. From her work in the antique shop she spent time in as a child to her hard work with the town’s rag-tag ensemble of kid dancers, she begins to come into her own element and shine.
Anna took her hand of cards – crappy as they were – and started making things work for her. Excelling where she had strengths. Despite talking about going back to London and pursuing a different life equivalent to her old one, step by step she begins to earn respect from others that then blossoms into some great friendships.
August 11, 2018
I have mixed feelings about this book, I got a lot from the blurb that I felt wasn't
given. It was painted as a cutesy darling book but it wasnt about that at all really, until the end. It was about self hate, constantly believing your a failure, in every sense of the word, but turning it all around, finding herself and what she really wants.
I like a lot. The reader Ellie Hayden was really good, she had a soothing voice and it all felt simple.
Anna is someone who was pushed into what she had become, everyone wanted her to be a star, a fabulous dancer! But Im not really sure that's what Anna wanted, so much as her Mother. Her hate for the village they lived in, was so gossipy and bitchy but it was always her dad who gave her the tine and yet, Anna pushed him away and I think it was because of the resentment her Mother had for him, manifesting.
I had a love-hate relationship with Anna, she worked in a good job and lived beyond her means in her London dream, as many people do, 'Living plastic, its fantastic.. ' but I don't think Anna was happy, she owned so much stuff and though, she was sad to let it go wanted to kick Anna at some point, she was sooo slow at fixing her relationship,
so desperate to impress but really so dithering in getting her shit together and worried about what her snobby friends think.
Everyone at Nettleton village is a bit of a nobhead, which is so annoying, they're so out to get her and whether or not they like her it began to get on my nerves but I stuck with it and it actually improved, they begun to warm to her
Seb was a bit of a dick, acting like a child against his school nemesis and allowing
him to wind him up like a little child when he had the girl already. Get a grip...but then he did and he realised he was a div and got it together.
Also relevant...Why are Lucinda’s in stories, always absolute posh snobby bitches? Its very disconcerting and sad. :/
🌟🌟🌟
given. It was painted as a cutesy darling book but it wasnt about that at all really, until the end. It was about self hate, constantly believing your a failure, in every sense of the word, but turning it all around, finding herself and what she really wants.
I like a lot. The reader Ellie Hayden was really good, she had a soothing voice and it all felt simple.
Anna is someone who was pushed into what she had become, everyone wanted her to be a star, a fabulous dancer! But Im not really sure that's what Anna wanted, so much as her Mother. Her hate for the village they lived in, was so gossipy and bitchy but it was always her dad who gave her the tine and yet, Anna pushed him away and I think it was because of the resentment her Mother had for him, manifesting.
I had a love-hate relationship with Anna, she worked in a good job and lived beyond her means in her London dream, as many people do, 'Living plastic, its fantastic.. ' but I don't think Anna was happy, she owned so much stuff and though, she was sad to let it go wanted to kick Anna at some point, she was sooo slow at fixing her relationship,
so desperate to impress but really so dithering in getting her shit together and worried about what her snobby friends think.
Everyone at Nettleton village is a bit of a nobhead, which is so annoying, they're so out to get her and whether or not they like her it began to get on my nerves but I stuck with it and it actually improved, they begun to warm to her
Seb was a bit of a dick, acting like a child against his school nemesis and allowing
him to wind him up like a little child when he had the girl already. Get a grip...but then he did and he realised he was a div and got it together.
Also relevant...Why are Lucinda’s in stories, always absolute posh snobby bitches? Its very disconcerting and sad. :/
🌟🌟🌟
May 9, 2019
„It was the feeling of someone taking her life that was already a muddle and giving it a good hard shake. Like she was her own personal snow globe.” (Original citation pos. 1135)
Content:
Anna Whitehall and her fiancée Seb are living their upper class live in London and are planning a stunning wedding ceremony. But due to a failed investment, Anna loses her job and all their money. When Seb gets a job offer as teacher at Nettleton High, in the small village where Anna had grown up, he is happy to move there. Anna finds a job in an old antiques shop, Vintage Treasure. A few years ago on her way to become a famous ballerina, she is now asked to train a group of village youngsters for the “Britain got Talent” Show. But there is a new job waiting in New York …
Theme and genre:
This story is about love, friendship, family, failures, hopes, and about decisions.
Characters:
Ann has to learn to value things in her life and also be ready and open for twists. Happiness sometimes comes different than planned and expensive designer clothing does not always guarantee a happy life. The characters are loveable and very well described.
Plot and writing:
Even though a kind of Happy Ending is predictable, there are enough twists, to make the story enjoyable to read. Especially to see how Anna learns to value the small village community, and her old friends who still are there for her when problems arise, is interesting. Also funny situations are not missing.
Conclusion:
A cosy and enjoyable read with enough romance to finish the book with a smile.
Content:
Anna Whitehall and her fiancée Seb are living their upper class live in London and are planning a stunning wedding ceremony. But due to a failed investment, Anna loses her job and all their money. When Seb gets a job offer as teacher at Nettleton High, in the small village where Anna had grown up, he is happy to move there. Anna finds a job in an old antiques shop, Vintage Treasure. A few years ago on her way to become a famous ballerina, she is now asked to train a group of village youngsters for the “Britain got Talent” Show. But there is a new job waiting in New York …
Theme and genre:
This story is about love, friendship, family, failures, hopes, and about decisions.
Characters:
Ann has to learn to value things in her life and also be ready and open for twists. Happiness sometimes comes different than planned and expensive designer clothing does not always guarantee a happy life. The characters are loveable and very well described.
Plot and writing:
Even though a kind of Happy Ending is predictable, there are enough twists, to make the story enjoyable to read. Especially to see how Anna learns to value the small village community, and her old friends who still are there for her when problems arise, is interesting. Also funny situations are not missing.
Conclusion:
A cosy and enjoyable read with enough romance to finish the book with a smile.
July 29, 2017
Anna and Seb have returned to a cottage in Nettleton their home town as they prepare to get married but they return after Anna caused a scene strong enough to leave gossipers still going on about it even now!
Anna dreamt of London being her home with Seb but after their money ran dry, home was true only place to go to. Forced to work alongside Mrs Beedle in her antique shop for a measly wage and doing what she feels is disgusting work as her snobbish attitude is.
She also starts to help out at the village hall dance group where a group of kids have fun learning when they have nowhere else to learn to dance. After their teacher leaves it's down to Anna to keep them practising despite her tempting job offer in New York...
There also the fact her ex Luke Lloyd see's her again whilst Seb makes a shock announcement and commandeers their garden shed as his live in man cave!
Now Anna also has to deal with the fact her best friend is seeing her dad!
It's a book full of fun and laughter even with a lot of serious life stuff thrown in. Anna soon warms to you as the book goes on and we see her become more open to returning home and the life she has there. Anna won me over as she grew humbler as the story went on as at first I have to admit, she did seem a little full of herself with her big ways and expensive dress but soon she returned to find a love of dance with teaching it not performing on a huge stage with millions of fans and adoration.
Anna dreamt of London being her home with Seb but after their money ran dry, home was true only place to go to. Forced to work alongside Mrs Beedle in her antique shop for a measly wage and doing what she feels is disgusting work as her snobbish attitude is.
She also starts to help out at the village hall dance group where a group of kids have fun learning when they have nowhere else to learn to dance. After their teacher leaves it's down to Anna to keep them practising despite her tempting job offer in New York...
There also the fact her ex Luke Lloyd see's her again whilst Seb makes a shock announcement and commandeers their garden shed as his live in man cave!
Now Anna also has to deal with the fact her best friend is seeing her dad!
It's a book full of fun and laughter even with a lot of serious life stuff thrown in. Anna soon warms to you as the book goes on and we see her become more open to returning home and the life she has there. Anna won me over as she grew humbler as the story went on as at first I have to admit, she did seem a little full of herself with her big ways and expensive dress but soon she returned to find a love of dance with teaching it not performing on a huge stage with millions of fans and adoration.
October 10, 2017
What I thought about the book? I loved it! It's as simple as that. Over the last couple of months, I have read (too) many Jenny Oliver books. But this one would have to be one of my favourites so far.
What I loved most about the story is the fact that it's the woman who's a bit of a dickhead (excuse my language) and not the guy. Usually when you have a book start out with a couple about to get married, it is the guy who messes everything up. But The Vintage Summer Wedding has turned it all around. Anna does so many despicable things that I admire Seb for his patience and understanding. He does screw up too, obviously, but if I had to blame someone, I would probably blame Anna. Ups. :) But I mean, women can be quite vile creatures, can't they? And I would include myself here as well. :)
Another thing that I loved about the book is that it is set in a small village. There's something about village life that just draws me in. Every. Single. Time. As the story evolves, Anna gets more and more involved and at the end of the book she is 100% part of community life.
And then there's Hermione. What a character and what a friend. She might be shagging Anna's father and giving terrible relationship advice, but she seems like a very fun woman to be around. I think I would definitely invite her to my bookish character diner. It certainly won't be boring!
For more of my ramblings on the book, head on over to my blog (www.unwrappeddreams.com).
What I loved most about the story is the fact that it's the woman who's a bit of a dickhead (excuse my language) and not the guy. Usually when you have a book start out with a couple about to get married, it is the guy who messes everything up. But The Vintage Summer Wedding has turned it all around. Anna does so many despicable things that I admire Seb for his patience and understanding. He does screw up too, obviously, but if I had to blame someone, I would probably blame Anna. Ups. :) But I mean, women can be quite vile creatures, can't they? And I would include myself here as well. :)
Another thing that I loved about the book is that it is set in a small village. There's something about village life that just draws me in. Every. Single. Time. As the story evolves, Anna gets more and more involved and at the end of the book she is 100% part of community life.
And then there's Hermione. What a character and what a friend. She might be shagging Anna's father and giving terrible relationship advice, but she seems like a very fun woman to be around. I think I would definitely invite her to my bookish character diner. It certainly won't be boring!
For more of my ramblings on the book, head on over to my blog (www.unwrappeddreams.com).
August 19, 2025
This is supposed to be a recession feelgood story, but it really isn't. The main character resents having to go back to the town where she grew up, from a PR ballet job in London. Fine. Her fiancé has a teaching job lined up and she's going to spend the days cleaning the tat in the junk shop and flogging it to unsuspecting tourists. Okay with that. (A skip would be my answer.) The young woman then decides to put a dating app on her phone and actually go off to London on a date with a guy. She is engaged. The only reason they aren't married is that the hotel they'd booked went bankrupt and she's had to cut up her credit cards. They should have gone to a registry office and got a small wedding, but she is obsessed with a grand, expensive, showy wedding for a lot of false friends she'll probably never see again.
The story is also about twice as long as the content provides, being padded out with several pages of phone conversations with annoying friends - who push dating apps, so not good friends - and continual wanders down memory lane. These don't move the story forward so should be kept short. I did not find this worth the read, but it may warn some women what not to do.
The story is also about twice as long as the content provides, being padded out with several pages of phone conversations with annoying friends - who push dating apps, so not good friends - and continual wanders down memory lane. These don't move the story forward so should be kept short. I did not find this worth the read, but it may warn some women what not to do.
July 21, 2018
The Vintage Summer Wedding— this is the sort of book that is the perfect cottage read; it is light and fluffy and the main character goes through quite the arc. I will admit that I didn’t like the book at first, I found Anna (the protagonist) to be most unlikeable. She was shallow and greedy and so materialistic that she couldn’t see that she had the love of her life right in front of her. She realized what she had before he first third of the book was over, but thanks to a colossal mistake on her part, she nearly loses what really matters to her. She spends the rest of the book helping a rag-tag bunch of teenagers prepare for their Britain’s Got Talent Audition while earning a living by organizing the antique store that she works at. Through both endeavours, Anna discovers how to be a happier and more content version of herself, and after the cutest “first” date ever, Anna is able to go forward with her wedding, making it vintage and low-budget because it is the marriage and the man, not the day that really matters to her.
April 6, 2023
This was a lovely romance and funny story.
Anna and Seb live in London and have lost their money,they had a big fancy wedding arranged and the business went bust. Anna also loses her job so they have to move back to the village they came from, Anna is very used to getting her own way. This is not going to happen in the village but Anna is trying hard not to change, she used to wear new clothes regularly , fancy flats, and lots of money.
Living in Nettleton again [that she stamped out in her teens and promised to never come back] is going to be a big change for them ,but mostly Anna. Anna working in the local bric a brac shop sorting lots of junk out.
The story shows how people can change, and mostly for the better.
I really enjoyed this book.
Anna and Seb live in London and have lost their money,they had a big fancy wedding arranged and the business went bust. Anna also loses her job so they have to move back to the village they came from, Anna is very used to getting her own way. This is not going to happen in the village but Anna is trying hard not to change, she used to wear new clothes regularly , fancy flats, and lots of money.
Living in Nettleton again [that she stamped out in her teens and promised to never come back] is going to be a big change for them ,but mostly Anna. Anna working in the local bric a brac shop sorting lots of junk out.
The story shows how people can change, and mostly for the better.
I really enjoyed this book.
December 31, 2017
Wasn't as good as sone others of hers. I kept thinking why was she, Anna, thinking back to what her mother was saying. She was a stubborn, spoilt brat. Eventually, she learned and grew.
I only gave it 3 stars, because I didn't like the 1st third of the book, too confusing. Started to get better and then I couldn't put it down. I had to see if Anna married Seb & stayed in Nettleton or if she went to New York City.
I only gave it 3 stars, because I didn't like the 1st third of the book, too confusing. Started to get better and then I couldn't put it down. I had to see if Anna married Seb & stayed in Nettleton or if she went to New York City.
April 6, 2023
Two and a half stars
It was fairly obvious how the story was going to pan out: unpleasant main character comes good in the end. I found most of the characters very unrealistic and the village setting didn’t ring true. Far too much use of the F word which made the writing lazy. There were some interesting bits but I ended up skimming through the last couple of chapters.
It was fairly obvious how the story was going to pan out: unpleasant main character comes good in the end. I found most of the characters very unrealistic and the village setting didn’t ring true. Far too much use of the F word which made the writing lazy. There were some interesting bits but I ended up skimming through the last couple of chapters.
April 30, 2020
Aw a lovely, feel good, easy read - feet up, have a cuppa and relax into a happy place. Anna's plans don't go according to plan. We follow her in a journey of self discovery and her dreams do come true but not quite the way she expected. A fun read that i enjoyed.
August 17, 2017
It took me ages to get in to this book but glad I stuck with it.
September 9, 2018
A really enjoyable book.
November 2, 2019
Loved reading this book, easy, feel good read.
March 15, 2021
Definitely worth reading.
Really enjoyed this book, nice bit of wit, kids were hilarious. Some funny, different characters. Loved Anna's dad in his flip flops.
Really enjoyed this book, nice bit of wit, kids were hilarious. Some funny, different characters. Loved Anna's dad in his flip flops.
July 3, 2022
Really enjoyed this tale of learning about yourself.
Such lovely themes and characters throughout!
Such lovely themes and characters throughout!
May 1, 2023
Did not enjoy any of the characters.
April 6, 2025
Predictable but a beautiful easy read on a sunny afternoon
July 12, 2021
This book was hard for me to get into for quite a while. The suspenseful crumbs, in the beginning, did not work for me because they simply confounded everything for me. I finally ascertained that Anna and Seb, engaged and flat broke, return to their hometown after they’ve spent everything on the wedding of the millennium. That’s obviously not happening now!
All of her plans, carefully crafted since a teen, where to get out of her hometown and be a big star. She was never coming back. She wasn’t very kind when she left, either, making returning even harder for her. No one is giving her a pass for being a mean, nasty teen – not her dad, her classmates, or others in town.
She was so high on her own pedestal, the fall was hard. Bone-jarring. She lost her job after her clients were stolen from her by her newly hired administrator. From the beginning, Anna had nothing going for her to make her a likable character. She was spoiled and condescending, with a huge ego. Seb, on the other hand, was enthusiastic about this change and their new life and lifestyle and coming back to where they as a couple started.
Being back at home, Anna encounters other characters, situations, challenges – and even a couple enemies – that bring out life from what seemed to be a cold, black heart. Slowly, she tried making the right choices and her history brings some clarity to some of the stone-cold block she was in the beginning. It is easy to understand how she became that individual. Anna’s constant strive to prove herself was one of those side-effects of her childhood. It took so much from her.
I thoroughly enjoyed the cast of characters that rounded out the book. With their new connections, Anna began to evolve. From her work in the antique shop she spent time in as a child to her hard work with the town’s rag-tag ensemble of kid dancers, she begins to come into her own element and shine.
Anna took her hand of cards – crappy as they were – and started making things work for her. Excelling where she had strengths. Despite talking about going back to London and pursuing a different life equivalent to her old one, step by step she begins to earn respect from others that then blossoms into some great friendships.
All of her plans, carefully crafted since a teen, where to get out of her hometown and be a big star. She was never coming back. She wasn’t very kind when she left, either, making returning even harder for her. No one is giving her a pass for being a mean, nasty teen – not her dad, her classmates, or others in town.
She was so high on her own pedestal, the fall was hard. Bone-jarring. She lost her job after her clients were stolen from her by her newly hired administrator. From the beginning, Anna had nothing going for her to make her a likable character. She was spoiled and condescending, with a huge ego. Seb, on the other hand, was enthusiastic about this change and their new life and lifestyle and coming back to where they as a couple started.
Being back at home, Anna encounters other characters, situations, challenges – and even a couple enemies – that bring out life from what seemed to be a cold, black heart. Slowly, she tried making the right choices and her history brings some clarity to some of the stone-cold block she was in the beginning. It is easy to understand how she became that individual. Anna’s constant strive to prove herself was one of those side-effects of her childhood. It took so much from her.
I thoroughly enjoyed the cast of characters that rounded out the book. With their new connections, Anna began to evolve. From her work in the antique shop she spent time in as a child to her hard work with the town’s rag-tag ensemble of kid dancers, she begins to come into her own element and shine.
Anna took her hand of cards – crappy as they were – and started making things work for her. Excelling where she had strengths. Despite talking about going back to London and pursuing a different life equivalent to her old one, step by step she begins to earn respect from others that then blossoms into some great friendships.
June 12, 2014
The sun is shining and the flowers are blooming- it must be wedding season! Jenny Oliver has capitalised on the summer loving in her latest offering The Vintage Summer Wedding, with a title and cover which is bound to appeal to brides, bridesmaids and hopeless romantics everywhere.
Anna is at her lowest ebb. After losing her job, her money and her self esteem, she reluctantly moves back to her hometown with her fiancé. Former dancer Anna begrudgingly finds herself becoming involved with the children in the community, helping them choreograph a routine for a nationwide talent show. Slowly Anna realises that happiness is what counts in life rather than material goods.
I found this book difficult to get into- Anna irritated me with her brattish attitude and superiority, which I suppose is the point, but I found her annoying as a character . Admittedly, as she developed I liked her more, yet I didn't warm to her in the way I did to Rachel in Jenny Oliver's previous novella The Parisian Christmas Bake Off (see my review here). Being totally truthful, I couldn't have cared less if Anna got her happy ending or not until about two thirds of the way into the story.
It probably didn't help that I'd expected a different plot- more about wedding planning, choosing bouquets, bridezilla moments- whereas actually The Vintage Summer Wedding places more emphasis on community and village living than on impending nuptials. It didn't bother me as I liked the small-town sniping, but I imagine there will be other people out there who will get a different plot than they imagined.
I liked the morals of the story- appreciating the small things, that pleasure can come in unexpected ways, the importance of community- Jenny Oliver writes contemporary women's fiction which leaves you with a warm, fuzzy feeling inside. I was glad I persevered with this one, it definitely became more engaging as the book progressed.
The Vintage Summer Wedding is out now, published by Carina.
Anna is at her lowest ebb. After losing her job, her money and her self esteem, she reluctantly moves back to her hometown with her fiancé. Former dancer Anna begrudgingly finds herself becoming involved with the children in the community, helping them choreograph a routine for a nationwide talent show. Slowly Anna realises that happiness is what counts in life rather than material goods.
I found this book difficult to get into- Anna irritated me with her brattish attitude and superiority, which I suppose is the point, but I found her annoying as a character . Admittedly, as she developed I liked her more, yet I didn't warm to her in the way I did to Rachel in Jenny Oliver's previous novella The Parisian Christmas Bake Off (see my review here). Being totally truthful, I couldn't have cared less if Anna got her happy ending or not until about two thirds of the way into the story.
It probably didn't help that I'd expected a different plot- more about wedding planning, choosing bouquets, bridezilla moments- whereas actually The Vintage Summer Wedding places more emphasis on community and village living than on impending nuptials. It didn't bother me as I liked the small-town sniping, but I imagine there will be other people out there who will get a different plot than they imagined.
I liked the morals of the story- appreciating the small things, that pleasure can come in unexpected ways, the importance of community- Jenny Oliver writes contemporary women's fiction which leaves you with a warm, fuzzy feeling inside. I was glad I persevered with this one, it definitely became more engaging as the book progressed.
The Vintage Summer Wedding is out now, published by Carina.
February 3, 2017
This had far more depth to it than the sugary sweet, fluffy wedding story that I envisaged from the pink and blue book cover. The opening scene saw Anna and fiancé Sebastian, under straightened circumstances, returning to their home village, where Seb is taking up a teaching post. Following the divorce of her parents, Anna had left Nettleton with her pushy mother to follow her ambition to be a ballerina. Her aim was the high celebrity lifestyle, with a wedding to match. But the hotel Anna had booked, went into receivership; taking her money with it; her own redundancy compounded the situation - hence the move back the childhood home she so hated.
I did not take to the self centred Anna who did not seem to recognise that her actions had contributed to their current circumstances. She made no attempt to make the best of their rented cottage, moaned about everything, antagonised others, and dallied with a former boyfriend, which eventually tried Seb's remarkable patience too far.
The parts I most enjoyed related to Anna's work in the village's antique shop with the abrasive Mrs. B. and in particular the descriptions of the stock, and Anna showing a talent in displaying the wares.
But this is chick lit, so everything ended happily. Anna began to gain some insight into her upbringing, and her values and attitudes, and accepted and enjoyed planning a vintage (economy) wedding, with the support of fellow residents. Some elements in the book were a bit over the top, but it was a light, entertaining read, which at times had its thoughtful moments - a good choice for a book club discussion. I give it a 3.5 rating.
I did not take to the self centred Anna who did not seem to recognise that her actions had contributed to their current circumstances. She made no attempt to make the best of their rented cottage, moaned about everything, antagonised others, and dallied with a former boyfriend, which eventually tried Seb's remarkable patience too far.
The parts I most enjoyed related to Anna's work in the village's antique shop with the abrasive Mrs. B. and in particular the descriptions of the stock, and Anna showing a talent in displaying the wares.
But this is chick lit, so everything ended happily. Anna began to gain some insight into her upbringing, and her values and attitudes, and accepted and enjoyed planning a vintage (economy) wedding, with the support of fellow residents. Some elements in the book were a bit over the top, but it was a light, entertaining read, which at times had its thoughtful moments - a good choice for a book club discussion. I give it a 3.5 rating.
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