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The Weekend Wedding Assistant
A romantic comedy about death and second chances
Thirty-year-old Nashvillian Julia Holmes is just weeks away from becoming Mrs. Aaron DeMinthe. For as long as she can remember, she's dreamed of getting married at Whitfield Chapel, and now her dreams are about to be realized. Julia has meticulously planned every detail of her big day, from the flowers to her gown, but the one thing she didn't plan for is Aaron's announcement: he needs to tick something off his bucket list before they tie the knot, and that something is to hike the last leg of the Appalachian Trail--a project several years in the making.
Julia is appalled by this idea and tries to dissuade him from going, but his mind is made up and so she reluctantly gives him her blessing. Less than forty-eight hours later, as he summits Mount Katahdin, the last mountain of the trek, he's struck by lightning and killed, effectively kicking the bucket while ticking something off his bucket list.
Julia is grief stricken and inconsolable, and despite the fact that she's surrounded by her best gal pals, her parents, and Lincoln Douglas--who was on Mt. Katahdin with Aaron when he died--she loses her grip on reality and quickly starts unraveling at the seams. Returning to Whitfield in search of closure, she happens upon the Chapel's wedding director, who offhandedly mentions that they're looking for a weekend wedding assistant, and before she can even think about it, she takes the job. As she ushers four brides a weekend down the aisle she was supposed to walk down herself, Julia tries to understand why she said "I Do" to a job she never set out to get, in a place she'd only meant to occupy for an afternoon, and wonders if she'll ever find true love again.
Thirty-year-old Nashvillian Julia Holmes is just weeks away from becoming Mrs. Aaron DeMinthe. For as long as she can remember, she's dreamed of getting married at Whitfield Chapel, and now her dreams are about to be realized. Julia has meticulously planned every detail of her big day, from the flowers to her gown, but the one thing she didn't plan for is Aaron's announcement: he needs to tick something off his bucket list before they tie the knot, and that something is to hike the last leg of the Appalachian Trail--a project several years in the making.
Julia is appalled by this idea and tries to dissuade him from going, but his mind is made up and so she reluctantly gives him her blessing. Less than forty-eight hours later, as he summits Mount Katahdin, the last mountain of the trek, he's struck by lightning and killed, effectively kicking the bucket while ticking something off his bucket list.
Julia is grief stricken and inconsolable, and despite the fact that she's surrounded by her best gal pals, her parents, and Lincoln Douglas--who was on Mt. Katahdin with Aaron when he died--she loses her grip on reality and quickly starts unraveling at the seams. Returning to Whitfield in search of closure, she happens upon the Chapel's wedding director, who offhandedly mentions that they're looking for a weekend wedding assistant, and before she can even think about it, she takes the job. As she ushers four brides a weekend down the aisle she was supposed to walk down herself, Julia tries to understand why she said "I Do" to a job she never set out to get, in a place she'd only meant to occupy for an afternoon, and wonders if she'll ever find true love again.
- GenresRomance
304 pages, Paperback
Published February 11, 2020
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129 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
December 28, 2020
I totally appreciated this rom-com having a real plot and depth of character. So many do not. The author has a firm grasp of the language, and some of her turns-of-phrasing were so mature. To open a rom-com with a death, to the degree the author took it, impressed me. I enjoyed watching how this protagonist dug her way back from that period in her life. A good book demonstrates growth of character, and Rachel Gladstone did a remarkable job bringing Julie around and deepening her soul. Excellent job, Ms. Gladstone. This book isn't a sugar-coated lightweight cozy, but it isn't dark in the least. It's a wonderful blend of serious story with cozy romance overtones to keep the pace going strong and the character believable.
January 30, 2020
1.5 ⭐️
I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Summary:
Julia’s fiancé decides to hike the Appalachian trail just two weeks before their wedding, and unfortunately has a freak accident and dies, leaving her to pick up the pieces. As her life goes completely not according to her plans, she decides to take a job as a wedding assistant and perhaps even give love a second chance with someone new.
Cons:
Unfortunately this book was not my favorite thing I’ve ever read. It’s categorized as a rom-com, and I didn’t find anything very comedic nor did I understand any of the supposed romance in this book. I also thought her job would play a bigger role than it did, but that’s not that big of a deal.
I had a problem with the characters feeling very two dimensional and their actions didn’t make a lot of sense to me. The author did a lot of telling vs showing emotions or feelings. Linc would yell at Julia for doing something, she would storm off, she’d realize he was the only one there for her and go back to him, realize she had feelings for him for some reason, and rinse and repeat the rest of the book with a few smaller overused plot devices.
I also had a problem with the over exaggeration and use of southern girl stereotypes, and a lot of the talk around mental health and depression felt a little judgy to me. The girls fiancé just died and she’s understandably depressed about it and her family does nothing to try and help her see a doctor or go to therapy even when she’s actively spiraling downwards mentally, they just keep yelling at her and ignoring the problem.
Pros:
This book was pretty fluffy and great for when you need a book to read that you don’t need to put a lot of brain power into reading. I also thought the premise was really interesting, the execution just fell flat for me.
I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Summary:
Julia’s fiancé decides to hike the Appalachian trail just two weeks before their wedding, and unfortunately has a freak accident and dies, leaving her to pick up the pieces. As her life goes completely not according to her plans, she decides to take a job as a wedding assistant and perhaps even give love a second chance with someone new.
Cons:
Unfortunately this book was not my favorite thing I’ve ever read. It’s categorized as a rom-com, and I didn’t find anything very comedic nor did I understand any of the supposed romance in this book. I also thought her job would play a bigger role than it did, but that’s not that big of a deal.
I had a problem with the characters feeling very two dimensional and their actions didn’t make a lot of sense to me. The author did a lot of telling vs showing emotions or feelings. Linc would yell at Julia for doing something, she would storm off, she’d realize he was the only one there for her and go back to him, realize she had feelings for him for some reason, and rinse and repeat the rest of the book with a few smaller overused plot devices.
I also had a problem with the over exaggeration and use of southern girl stereotypes, and a lot of the talk around mental health and depression felt a little judgy to me. The girls fiancé just died and she’s understandably depressed about it and her family does nothing to try and help her see a doctor or go to therapy even when she’s actively spiraling downwards mentally, they just keep yelling at her and ignoring the problem.
Pros:
This book was pretty fluffy and great for when you need a book to read that you don’t need to put a lot of brain power into reading. I also thought the premise was really interesting, the execution just fell flat for me.
February 4, 2020
A romantic comedy this book just isn't. 50% of the book (or a tad less) deals with Julia's loss of her great love Aaron just as they were going to get married. It shows Julia acting like mostly like a disillusioned child and her friends and family treating her as such (she is in her 30's). I realize that each person treats death differently, but to act out by being upset her fiance left her well off, then to go on a spending spree of this magnitude just made no sense to me. Then to add insult to injury what was up with her dead fiance's best friend and the lust? Again, different strokes for different folks.
It didn't take her very long to get to the point of getting back into life and dating and lusting again. Then again the love of my life and I have been married for 38 years so maybe I just can't see it from this particular pint of view.
The southern tropes were just too obvious for me -there was no subtlety in this book whatsoever.
As for a summer light funny read, this was just a little too dark for my taste and Julia just acted like a spoiled brat and not a grieving fiancee.
*ARC supplied by the publisher.
It didn't take her very long to get to the point of getting back into life and dating and lusting again. Then again the love of my life and I have been married for 38 years so maybe I just can't see it from this particular pint of view.
The southern tropes were just too obvious for me -there was no subtlety in this book whatsoever.
As for a summer light funny read, this was just a little too dark for my taste and Julia just acted like a spoiled brat and not a grieving fiancee.
*ARC supplied by the publisher.
September 7, 2019
I just closed this book and I want to write down all my feelings straight away... what a beautiful book!
Looking at the cover you would think this to be just a romance. But it certainly is not. And I was engrossed with it and loved following Julia on her journey.
When Julia's fiance Aaron dies just weeks before their wedding, she is engulfed in grief. He was trying to finish his bucket list and died on top of Mount Katahdin, as witnessed by his best friend Linc. In the weeks and months that follow Julia tries to make sense of his death and learn how to move on. She takes a job as a Weekend wedding assistant at the beautiful place where her wedding was supposed to be held. In a strange way it heals her to see other brides down the aisle.
This book is written so beautifully. I marked several passages and was especially moved by the dreams Julia had about and with Aaron. I liked the fact Julia was coming to terms with always loving Aaron but also choosing to move and and love again.
Let's be clear: this is not a tearjerker. It is about a young woman coming to terms with her loss and you can expect a happy ending!
There was no author's note in the ARC I received via Edelweiss. I somehow expected there to be one, as it seemed to me the story has a personal touch. I also cannot find other books by this author, so if this is a debut I am impressed.
I will be on the lookout for the next book.
Quotes:
'A rush of joy washed over me, bathing me in the knowledge that Aaron and I had come full circle in our dance together. I finally understood that it hadn't been cut short; it had come to its rightful end. And I knew that the love we'd held between us would live on forever, no matter what else came to pass.'
' I'd grown to realize that you never run out of love, no matter how much of it you give or how much you lose, because your heart is bigger than anything you could ever imagine it could be. '
Looking at the cover you would think this to be just a romance. But it certainly is not. And I was engrossed with it and loved following Julia on her journey.
When Julia's fiance Aaron dies just weeks before their wedding, she is engulfed in grief. He was trying to finish his bucket list and died on top of Mount Katahdin, as witnessed by his best friend Linc. In the weeks and months that follow Julia tries to make sense of his death and learn how to move on. She takes a job as a Weekend wedding assistant at the beautiful place where her wedding was supposed to be held. In a strange way it heals her to see other brides down the aisle.
This book is written so beautifully. I marked several passages and was especially moved by the dreams Julia had about and with Aaron. I liked the fact Julia was coming to terms with always loving Aaron but also choosing to move and and love again.
Let's be clear: this is not a tearjerker. It is about a young woman coming to terms with her loss and you can expect a happy ending!
There was no author's note in the ARC I received via Edelweiss. I somehow expected there to be one, as it seemed to me the story has a personal touch. I also cannot find other books by this author, so if this is a debut I am impressed.
I will be on the lookout for the next book.
Quotes:
'A rush of joy washed over me, bathing me in the knowledge that Aaron and I had come full circle in our dance together. I finally understood that it hadn't been cut short; it had come to its rightful end. And I knew that the love we'd held between us would live on forever, no matter what else came to pass.'
' I'd grown to realize that you never run out of love, no matter how much of it you give or how much you lose, because your heart is bigger than anything you could ever imagine it could be. '
September 25, 2019
I received an ARC copy through my job at an Independent Bookstore.
I love a good rom-com but this was too dark(?) to be a regular rom-com, especially since it started off so dark. It felt more like a badly written Hallmark movie, predictable and a whole lot of bits and pieces from good rom-coms thrown together. Also I found little humor in it. I gave more than one star because I did read it in one day but it felt more like “I want to read this as quick as possible so I can write a review and move on to books I enjoy” than an “omg I can’t put this book down” fast read.
I love a good rom-com but this was too dark(?) to be a regular rom-com, especially since it started off so dark. It felt more like a badly written Hallmark movie, predictable and a whole lot of bits and pieces from good rom-coms thrown together. Also I found little humor in it. I gave more than one star because I did read it in one day but it felt more like “I want to read this as quick as possible so I can write a review and move on to books I enjoy” than an “omg I can’t put this book down” fast read.
July 30, 2020
Julia is to be Mrs. Aaron DeMinthe in a couple of weeks. It has always been her dream to get married at Whitfield Chapel and she is just weeks away from her dream to come true.
But all she has planned for changes when her fiancé dies before their wedding.
When dealing with her grief Julia makes strange decisions and one was to take a job as a wedding assistant at Whitfield Chapel!! When she was surprised for accepting the job offer herself. Working at the chapel and seeing all the couples getting married she was not sure if she could ever find try love again.
With all the ups and downs that life planned for her, she is blessed to be surrounded by her friends, family and Lincoln in her life to support her during tough times. I found authors focus on friendship and support amazing.
I really liked Julia’s character, how she was trying to take charge and control her life while grieving for her fiancé. It wasn’t really a light romance, the author did a great job detailing love, friendship, loss and family.
Many Thanks to Rachel Gladstone for this gifted copy .
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But all she has planned for changes when her fiancé dies before their wedding.
When dealing with her grief Julia makes strange decisions and one was to take a job as a wedding assistant at Whitfield Chapel!! When she was surprised for accepting the job offer herself. Working at the chapel and seeing all the couples getting married she was not sure if she could ever find try love again.
With all the ups and downs that life planned for her, she is blessed to be surrounded by her friends, family and Lincoln in her life to support her during tough times. I found authors focus on friendship and support amazing.
I really liked Julia’s character, how she was trying to take charge and control her life while grieving for her fiancé. It wasn’t really a light romance, the author did a great job detailing love, friendship, loss and family.
Many Thanks to Rachel Gladstone for this gifted copy .
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Amazon
July 1, 2022
Fun read! Great for the beach!
June 21, 2020
3.5 🌟 Rounded up and only because of the second half of the book.
This book took some time to get into for me. Kind to slow start which goes through Julia's grieving and impulse shopping due to that. It wasn't until chapter 18 that this book really took off for me and kept me wanting more. It gave me a touch of Lydia Bird vibes with Julia seeing, feeling, interacting with Aaron in her dreams. Getting into the wedding industry as a way to get her life back was like jumping off the cliff herself. It was another impulse and it was at the wedding chapel that she was to wed Aaron. Everyone thought she was nuts!
Crazy to look at it this way, but it's almost as if it was all supposed to happen the way it did. Julia met and fell in love with another man and he seemed perfect for her but a couple times you knew something shady was happening. And Linc, the closest thing to Julia, both realizing they can't live without the others existence in their lives, although they tried. Julia having said "Having Linc around felt as natural as breathing."
I loved her relationship with her friends and mom. They called her the "Wianceé" lol. A favorite moment of mine is when she daydreamed about the blue pitcher that Aaron got for her on their 3rd date to the TN Craft Fair. It was such a lovely look back. And another that stood out was that pivotal moment of release at the top of the mountain for Julia and Linc. It was everything! I could see this book being a movie, just has that vibe!
A couple fav rules:
#5 Be true to your breeding, and it will serve you well when you are barely able to stand in your shoes.
#31 Don't, under any circumstances, spend even one night out on the town with that bastard Regret. Because he's going to eat you for dinner, spit you out, and make you pay the check.
Thank you @gladstone.rachel and @turnerpub for providing copies of this book for our group buddy read hosted by @thechicklitbookclub ... Best book buddies around!
This book took some time to get into for me. Kind to slow start which goes through Julia's grieving and impulse shopping due to that. It wasn't until chapter 18 that this book really took off for me and kept me wanting more. It gave me a touch of Lydia Bird vibes with Julia seeing, feeling, interacting with Aaron in her dreams. Getting into the wedding industry as a way to get her life back was like jumping off the cliff herself. It was another impulse and it was at the wedding chapel that she was to wed Aaron. Everyone thought she was nuts!
Crazy to look at it this way, but it's almost as if it was all supposed to happen the way it did. Julia met and fell in love with another man and he seemed perfect for her but a couple times you knew something shady was happening. And Linc, the closest thing to Julia, both realizing they can't live without the others existence in their lives, although they tried. Julia having said "Having Linc around felt as natural as breathing."
I loved her relationship with her friends and mom. They called her the "Wianceé" lol. A favorite moment of mine is when she daydreamed about the blue pitcher that Aaron got for her on their 3rd date to the TN Craft Fair. It was such a lovely look back. And another that stood out was that pivotal moment of release at the top of the mountain for Julia and Linc. It was everything! I could see this book being a movie, just has that vibe!
A couple fav rules:
#5 Be true to your breeding, and it will serve you well when you are barely able to stand in your shoes.
#31 Don't, under any circumstances, spend even one night out on the town with that bastard Regret. Because he's going to eat you for dinner, spit you out, and make you pay the check.
Thank you @gladstone.rachel and @turnerpub for providing copies of this book for our group buddy read hosted by @thechicklitbookclub ... Best book buddies around!
January 28, 2020
The Weekend Wedding Assistant book has come with me in my recent trip to the beach. I needed a cheer me up but not bland and hollow kind of book.
My WWA has soaked in sun, it has been sprinkled by drops of tropical rain, it has rested under the timid shade of the palm trees. It has come back with few scars on the cover and sand in the pages. It is there now, smiling from the bookshelf because I LOVED IT!
My WWA has soaked in sun, it has been sprinkled by drops of tropical rain, it has rested under the timid shade of the palm trees. It has come back with few scars on the cover and sand in the pages. It is there now, smiling from the bookshelf because I LOVED IT!
March 26, 2021
This book was nothing like I thought and yet everything if that makes sense. Following the grief of a woman who's fiancée dies before their wedding was such an emotional roller-coaster. From the wallowing, to the self pity, to the vivid dreams meeting him in a limbo version of heaven really got me. Further watching her pick herself up, find a job she enjoyed and having the strength to love again was amazing. I was sad when she was sad. I was sad when she faltered or was crushed by defeat once again. I questioned what I would do if my spouse suddenly died. In the end I am uplifted by her triumphs and elated by her happiness. Life moves on and after the rain, the sun comes out again.
March 18, 2021
Couldn’t bring myself to finish this book simply because of the abrupt romance between Julia and Linc. This honestly just maddened me because there was no lead-up to their attraction to one another, and if the main character was grieving as she was I find it hard to comprehend.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 14, 2020
Love, loss, finding oneself and love again, my idea of a pretty good chic lit book! Thank you Rebecca who picked up this book from PLA and had the author sign it!
September 17, 2025
Three stars for a book that was saved by its many cute one-liners that occurred just frequently enough to add some energy and snark; without this it would have been just a bit too bland and similar to other books with the same sort of storyline.
Storyline being: young (almost)widow coming to terms with the loss of her husband to be (fiance), trying to move one by finding new passions - which leads her to an unexpected new job as an assistant at a wedding avenue, as well as opening her heart to possible new relationships.
I enjoyed the light-hearted writing, the playful banter, and I also found most of the main character's greif and heart break to be well portrayed in the sense that it didn't consume the whole story nor become her personality. The greif is shown as complicated and messy, as so often is the case. BUT at times it felt a little too breezy, and it was a little confusing how deep the grief was one chapter and then almost joked about the next, bordering on disrespectful, which didn't resonate with how I saw the main character as a person.
I would have enjoyed the story more of it was more focused on one thing rather than covering and combining three (or four):
- greif/loss/death
- romance /rom-com
- new beginnings/ new job/career
- the love triangle trope
The love triangle was a bit predictable and added a lot to the story, in not a good way. To me it felt unnecessary and like a distraction. The story would have been better if it had chosen two of the mentioned topics to focus on rather than trying to do it all.
That said, this was still enjoyable. A easy, quick, feel good (despite its sadness) book with a bit of everything: greif, joy, family, friends, love,
Storyline being: young (almost)widow coming to terms with the loss of her husband to be (fiance), trying to move one by finding new passions - which leads her to an unexpected new job as an assistant at a wedding avenue, as well as opening her heart to possible new relationships.
I enjoyed the light-hearted writing, the playful banter, and I also found most of the main character's greif and heart break to be well portrayed in the sense that it didn't consume the whole story nor become her personality. The greif is shown as complicated and messy, as so often is the case. BUT at times it felt a little too breezy, and it was a little confusing how deep the grief was one chapter and then almost joked about the next, bordering on disrespectful, which didn't resonate with how I saw the main character as a person.
I would have enjoyed the story more of it was more focused on one thing rather than covering and combining three (or four):
- greif/loss/death
- romance /rom-com
- new beginnings/ new job/career
- the love triangle trope
The love triangle was a bit predictable and added a lot to the story, in not a good way. To me it felt unnecessary and like a distraction. The story would have been better if it had chosen two of the mentioned topics to focus on rather than trying to do it all.
That said, this was still enjoyable. A easy, quick, feel good (despite its sadness) book with a bit of everything: greif, joy, family, friends, love,
June 16, 2020
This book follows Julia after she lost her fiancé a month before their wedding. This was the 4th book I’ve read lately with this kind of premise, and it was beautifully done and it had a happy ending ☺️💜 But I’m looking forward to reading other tropes where loss of a significant other is not involved.
❤️ All the relationships, with her friends, her fiancé, her parents were so lovely. She had such a great support system. It made me feel envious at times 😂 ❤️ I loved the ending. The last 4 chapters were sooo good! ❤️
👎🏼 I wouldn’t say this book is steamy, but it had 2 scenes, which I skipped. 👎🏼 The first part of the book was a little bit slow, but once we got passed it, we all agreed that the book got so much better in the second half and then we couldn’t put it down and wanted to know so badly what was next for Julia. I adored the second part for sure!
👍🏼 Even though she was grieving, this book has lots of funny bits, I quoted a couple in my gems’ highlights. There were so many good quotes throughout the whole book! It was hard to pick only 4. 👍🏼 I was able to understand the way she felt and why she did what she did. The author was a sweetheart and explained some things to us and everything made even more sense, that was definitely a plus.
💎 “Rule #101: Miracles can happen. Miracles do happen! And more often than not, they ride in on the coattails of second chances.” 💜
“I missed the days when the only time I broke a sweat was when walking from from my air-conditioned house to my air-conditioned car on a hot summer afternoon. And I cursed Aaron on a regular basis for dying in such an inconvenient spot.” 😆
“Despite the fact that I was still alone and often quite lonely, I knew I was on the right track.”
“Some days I felt about as useful as a screen door on a submarine.”
Thank you Turner publishing and Rachel Gladstone for providing me with a copy of this book.
❤️ All the relationships, with her friends, her fiancé, her parents were so lovely. She had such a great support system. It made me feel envious at times 😂 ❤️ I loved the ending. The last 4 chapters were sooo good! ❤️
👎🏼 I wouldn’t say this book is steamy, but it had 2 scenes, which I skipped. 👎🏼 The first part of the book was a little bit slow, but once we got passed it, we all agreed that the book got so much better in the second half and then we couldn’t put it down and wanted to know so badly what was next for Julia. I adored the second part for sure!
👍🏼 Even though she was grieving, this book has lots of funny bits, I quoted a couple in my gems’ highlights. There were so many good quotes throughout the whole book! It was hard to pick only 4. 👍🏼 I was able to understand the way she felt and why she did what she did. The author was a sweetheart and explained some things to us and everything made even more sense, that was definitely a plus.
💎 “Rule #101: Miracles can happen. Miracles do happen! And more often than not, they ride in on the coattails of second chances.” 💜
“I missed the days when the only time I broke a sweat was when walking from from my air-conditioned house to my air-conditioned car on a hot summer afternoon. And I cursed Aaron on a regular basis for dying in such an inconvenient spot.” 😆
“Despite the fact that I was still alone and often quite lonely, I knew I was on the right track.”
“Some days I felt about as useful as a screen door on a submarine.”
Thank you Turner publishing and Rachel Gladstone for providing me with a copy of this book.
August 30, 2020
Julia Holmes is all set to marry the love of her life at Whitfield Chapel, the only place she has ever envisioned her wedding to be. A few weeks before the wedding, her adventure-seeking husband tragically dies, leaving Julia reeling. Spiraling out of control with grief, Julia visits Whitfield Chapel and does something crazy: offers to fill a job position as a Wedding Assistant. While no one seems to understand why she accepted it, the job might be just what she needs to get her life back on track.
"Rule 101: Miracles can happen. Miracles do happen! And more often than not, they ride in on the coattails of second chances."
This is slated as a RomCom, but there wasn't really much comedy to it. Julia's husband dies almost instantly in the book, and the reader is brought right into her world of grief. I thought Julia needed a better support system. At times, with the way they would react to her, I was thinking, "I'm sorry, did your fiance just die? No? Then STFU." I couldn't believe how flippant they were towards her grief. No one offered her any real help, only pointless advice. As far as the Rom part, there were two love interests in Julia's life after her husband's death. I enjoyed both of those story lines. Overall, this was a decent read about going through grief at your own pace with some serious Two Lives of Lydia Byrd vibes.
Thank you to the author for sending me a review copy. And for reaching out to her publisher when the first copy they sent never made it to me. 😊
"Rule 101: Miracles can happen. Miracles do happen! And more often than not, they ride in on the coattails of second chances."
This is slated as a RomCom, but there wasn't really much comedy to it. Julia's husband dies almost instantly in the book, and the reader is brought right into her world of grief. I thought Julia needed a better support system. At times, with the way they would react to her, I was thinking, "I'm sorry, did your fiance just die? No? Then STFU." I couldn't believe how flippant they were towards her grief. No one offered her any real help, only pointless advice. As far as the Rom part, there were two love interests in Julia's life after her husband's death. I enjoyed both of those story lines. Overall, this was a decent read about going through grief at your own pace with some serious Two Lives of Lydia Byrd vibes.
Thank you to the author for sending me a review copy. And for reaching out to her publisher when the first copy they sent never made it to me. 😊
February 4, 2020
For a few years now, I’ve said that I don’t want a wedding ceremony. I’d much rather have a giant party to celebrate my vows; however, this book has made me want to go through the torture and stress that is planning a wedding and walking down the aisle. Or, it could be my 30 year old self wanting to settle down and find my cheesy Christmas card partner. But, this book is so much more than weddings. Actually, the weddings are pretty minute in relation to the storyline. 30 year old Julia loses her fiancé to a freak hiking accident just weeks before Julia’s dream wedding. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑾𝒆𝒆𝒌𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝑾𝒆𝒅𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑨𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒕 follows Julia’s stages of mourning and tackles relatable issues many people go through.
𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑾𝒆𝒆𝒌𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝑾𝒆𝒅𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑨𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒕 is about grief, moving on, budding relationships, and friendships. I can’t relate to some of the stuff the main character, Julia, goes through, but most everything else I and other women can, especially the insecurity that comes with new relationship territory. If our significant other falls into a funk, we don’t want to say anything and risk rocking the boat. If we don’t hear from them at the time they promised, we’re scared to text/call to see what’s up because we’re afraid of being labeled a clinger. And so on. But, there’s also the grief aspect. Gladstone explores the propriety when it’s ok to move on from the death of a spouse/fiancé, who were allowed to move on with, how we cope with death, and ways to help us through a grieving process. Gladstone talks about how one moment we can be completely ok and the next we’re in tears. Also, she explores the idea of accepting that we can angry with the dead.
One thing I appreciated the most about this book is there was no extra fluff! We didn’t receive unnecessary narration that just filled space. Each chapter has a purpose and we’re given just enough detail to capture what’s going on. I also loved the poking fun of the southern lifestyle. The dialogue has a little bit of wit but can come across as unnatural at times. This book is about struggle, coping, new beginnings, and adjusting. Don’t sleep on this book! It’ll be released on 2/11/20.
Thank you to Turner Publishing for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑾𝒆𝒆𝒌𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝑾𝒆𝒅𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑨𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒕 is about grief, moving on, budding relationships, and friendships. I can’t relate to some of the stuff the main character, Julia, goes through, but most everything else I and other women can, especially the insecurity that comes with new relationship territory. If our significant other falls into a funk, we don’t want to say anything and risk rocking the boat. If we don’t hear from them at the time they promised, we’re scared to text/call to see what’s up because we’re afraid of being labeled a clinger. And so on. But, there’s also the grief aspect. Gladstone explores the propriety when it’s ok to move on from the death of a spouse/fiancé, who were allowed to move on with, how we cope with death, and ways to help us through a grieving process. Gladstone talks about how one moment we can be completely ok and the next we’re in tears. Also, she explores the idea of accepting that we can angry with the dead.
One thing I appreciated the most about this book is there was no extra fluff! We didn’t receive unnecessary narration that just filled space. Each chapter has a purpose and we’re given just enough detail to capture what’s going on. I also loved the poking fun of the southern lifestyle. The dialogue has a little bit of wit but can come across as unnatural at times. This book is about struggle, coping, new beginnings, and adjusting. Don’t sleep on this book! It’ll be released on 2/11/20.
Thank you to Turner Publishing for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
June 11, 2020
Thanks to Turner Publishing and Rachel Gladstone for my copy of The Weekend Wedding Assistant.
The Weekend Wedding Assistant introduces us to Julia Holmes, a young woman who loses her fiance in a tragic accident very close to her wedding day. We then get to read about her journey back to happiness and a new life without her fiance. She takes a job as an assistant at the gorgeous chapel where she was to get married and wonders if she will ever find true love again.
This book is perfect if you need something light and fluffy right now. It has some laugh out loud parts, along with some parts that make you hurt for Julia, and overall, ends in a way that the reader will likely find satisfying. I would’ve loved to see how her job as a wedding assistant played into her healing, but overall, you get a great picture of the journey that Julia goes on toward happiness.
You can grab this book now from your local black-owned or indie bookstore! As usual, I’m happy to help you find one that’ll ship if you need. Grab The Weekend Wedding Assistant for your next pool or beach adventure to help you relax.
The Weekend Wedding Assistant introduces us to Julia Holmes, a young woman who loses her fiance in a tragic accident very close to her wedding day. We then get to read about her journey back to happiness and a new life without her fiance. She takes a job as an assistant at the gorgeous chapel where she was to get married and wonders if she will ever find true love again.
This book is perfect if you need something light and fluffy right now. It has some laugh out loud parts, along with some parts that make you hurt for Julia, and overall, ends in a way that the reader will likely find satisfying. I would’ve loved to see how her job as a wedding assistant played into her healing, but overall, you get a great picture of the journey that Julia goes on toward happiness.
You can grab this book now from your local black-owned or indie bookstore! As usual, I’m happy to help you find one that’ll ship if you need. Grab The Weekend Wedding Assistant for your next pool or beach adventure to help you relax.
August 18, 2020
This was one of the best books I've read all summer. So glad I bought it! It takes talent to have a traumatic event happen to a character and yet still make the book lighthearted. It was a fun read. I kept turning pages because I wanted to know how the main character (Julia) healed from her grief and if she found love in the end.
The author does a great job of creating realistic and interesting characters. The main character's motivations were very realistic to me. People who experience a death would try to make up for the loss through immersing themselves in material things, which the main character does do. In fact, I just heard a news item saying that people behave exactly how Julia does and I thought of her the moment I heard it. Lincoln's behavior is also very realistic. A man who is in love with his deceased best friend's fiancé would try to run away because he's afraid of his feelings.
In addition, the book is really well written. The author has a talent for similes and metaphors.
The author does a great job of creating realistic and interesting characters. The main character's motivations were very realistic to me. People who experience a death would try to make up for the loss through immersing themselves in material things, which the main character does do. In fact, I just heard a news item saying that people behave exactly how Julia does and I thought of her the moment I heard it. Lincoln's behavior is also very realistic. A man who is in love with his deceased best friend's fiancé would try to run away because he's afraid of his feelings.
In addition, the book is really well written. The author has a talent for similes and metaphors.
June 13, 2020
The Weekend Wedding Assistant by Rachel Gladstone ⭐️⭐️⭐️ thanks to turner publishing, Rachel Gladstone for the gifted copy.
When Julie’s fiancé dies weeks before her wedding she is understand devastated. However, when she takes a job as a wedding assistant at the venue of her canceled wedding, it may not be quite as understandable. Is it the best decision? How is she reacting in her time of grief?
This book was a good read for anyone interested in slow building relationships and emotional processing. The major event occurs in the very beginning of the book and the rest is mostly about the main character coming to terms with that and finding her place in her new world. I felt that the relationships between Julie and characters, other than Aaron, could have been built up a bit more. I would have liked to have seen more scenes before his death to better understand their dynamics. This was an easy and quick read. The weddings scenes were really fun and anyone who is a fan of weddings will enjoy!
When Julie’s fiancé dies weeks before her wedding she is understand devastated. However, when she takes a job as a wedding assistant at the venue of her canceled wedding, it may not be quite as understandable. Is it the best decision? How is she reacting in her time of grief?
This book was a good read for anyone interested in slow building relationships and emotional processing. The major event occurs in the very beginning of the book and the rest is mostly about the main character coming to terms with that and finding her place in her new world. I felt that the relationships between Julie and characters, other than Aaron, could have been built up a bit more. I would have liked to have seen more scenes before his death to better understand their dynamics. This was an easy and quick read. The weddings scenes were really fun and anyone who is a fan of weddings will enjoy!
February 18, 2020
I bought Weekend Wedding Assistant to take with me to the beach. Unfortunately, I couldn't put it down. I carried it back to the condo to read during dinner, before bed and even at the breakfast table. My friends accused me of being antisocial-then they insisted I lend them my copy. What I love about Rachel Gladstone's book, besides the provocative premise of an almost-bride losing her fiance days before the wedding, is the injection of what Jules calls her Rules of Life. There are 101 rules scattered throughout the plot. I found myself jotting down more than a few for future reference.
WWA is a fun read, but it's also one that catches you up in the fate of poor Jules. I was cheering for her even when her behavior was less than admirable, and with all the twists and turns I was pleased to read the well-earned happy ending.
WWA is a fun read, but it's also one that catches you up in the fate of poor Jules. I was cheering for her even when her behavior was less than admirable, and with all the twists and turns I was pleased to read the well-earned happy ending.
March 9, 2020
Rachel’s writing is very descriptive, so you know a great deal about the characters, and especially how the main character felt—all the different emotions she was going through. I enjoyed reading about the weddings she assisted with-I would have liked even more in the book, as it brought a true sense of reality to the story.
I must admit, I was happy the book ended the way I was hoping it would. Which means that I had grown fond of certain characters in the book.
I liked Rachel’s style of writing, and even shed a tear or two, admittedly, at the end! (This surprised me, as this is my my first genre choice) I look forward to the movie that comes from this! Great job, Rachel, on your debut novel!
March 24, 2020
I picked this up on my last trip to the library before they closed indefinitely last week. I went into pick up a hold and grabbed a stack of books from some authors I know I like and this one was on the new released shelf.
It’s a sweet romance. I started reading it because I couldn’t get into my book club book and needed to ‘cut’ it with something. I enjoyed it, pretty closed door romance, but there are a few moments.
Overall, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. It’s not quite a light, fun romance, but the author does a good job talking about a hard subject.
It’s a sweet romance. I started reading it because I couldn’t get into my book club book and needed to ‘cut’ it with something. I enjoyed it, pretty closed door romance, but there are a few moments.
Overall, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. It’s not quite a light, fun romance, but the author does a good job talking about a hard subject.
August 26, 2020
Thanks so much to the author for sending me this book to read! It was the perfect little rom-com romp I didn't know that I needed right now!
I love romance novels that include a little depth to their characters. Julia unexpectedly loses her fiance in a tragic accident shortly before her wedding and has to figure out how to move on.
I definitely liked the second half of the book more than the first. I would be honestly so devastated if something happened to my fiance and I almost feel like the plot would have been more believable if the story line had fast forwarded a year after the accident.
If you love weddings with a touch of tragedy, this book is for you!!
I love romance novels that include a little depth to their characters. Julia unexpectedly loses her fiance in a tragic accident shortly before her wedding and has to figure out how to move on.
I definitely liked the second half of the book more than the first. I would be honestly so devastated if something happened to my fiance and I almost feel like the plot would have been more believable if the story line had fast forwarded a year after the accident.
If you love weddings with a touch of tragedy, this book is for you!!
August 1, 2023
This was more sad than rom com. I know grief is different for everyone but I found it hard to read about her having romantic interests towards others so soon (days!!) after her fiancés death. I think I would have liked Linc’s storyline of loving her since they met more if they had reconnected maybe a couple years after Aaron’s death. I just didn’t like him.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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March 1, 2020Premise of story good using job to deal with fiance death. Had to overlook promiscuity, TMI with besties and over protection from family.
March 21, 2020
Loved it.
May 23, 2020
Such a great book!!
June 13, 2020
A great read— perfect for the beach or vacay.
July 1, 2020
Great book!
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July 8, 2020I really liked the ending! I also thought the dream scenes were well-done and realistic to real life, having actually experienced similar dreams myself. Excellent summer read.
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