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Cocktails, Wedding Bells and Summer Madness

Straight laced Rose loves books, swimming and the folk choir. So when her gregarious best friend arrives home from a ten year around the world trip, her safe, comfortable existence is thrown into disarray.

Rose is persuaded to take on the role of Matron of Honour, but not for a traditional church wedding as anticipated. The wedding is to take place on a Mediterranean beach in the main holiday season.

Rose is promised sun, sea, sand and a rousing good time. But how will she cope with her fear of flying, mosquitoes, men, and anything else which takes her out of her comfort zone?

Will she survive a ten day holiday with an over-excited bride to be, a bossy bridesmaid and a moody enigmatic best man?

Love, laughter and friendship combine in this dazzling summer romance.

Take a dip in the ocean and a relax in the sun with Cocktails, Wedding Bells and Summer Madness.

308 pages, Paperback

Published February 17, 2022

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About the author

Julia Sutton

26 books58 followers
Hello all, I was born and still live in Wolverhampton, England. I've had a variety of jobs since the age of 15 working as a strawberry picker, a secretary, a shop assistant and more recently as a teaching assistant and dinner lady.

I retired in 2019 to focus on my writing and to pursue my dream of becoming a successful author. I'm a multi-genre author and love writing for both adults and children.

I enjoy reading, walking and anything arty. You can find me procrastinating on my Facebook Author Page at Julia Sutton Author,

I'm also on Twitter as SparklyAuthor.

I love hearing from readers. If you'd like to contact me direct, my email address is:
juliasutton@sky.com

Thank you for reading my work and for taking the time to leave a review :-)

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5 stars
24 (57%)
4 stars
10 (23%)
3 stars
6 (14%)
2 stars
1 (2%)
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1 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
Profile Image for M.J. Mallon.
Author 18 books231 followers
April 26, 2024
Cocktails, wedding bells and summer madness, Julia sutton.

Listened to on audible.

Another wonderful read by Julia Sutton.

What a lovely heartwarming romance with family, sunshine abroad, holiday elements. I loved the character of Rose whose life seems somewhat dull and passing her by until her old best friend from school, Shelley comes back to the UK with three hunky Australian brothers: Harry, (Shelley's fiance) Finn, and the quieter more mysterious Tom.

It's light-hearted and funny in parts. I loved the character of Rose's outspoken granny and how Rose faces her fears to becomes a changed, more confident woman.

Rose's relationship with Tom deepens whilst they are all away in Majorca but she's warned off him. What secrets is he hiding? And who is he really? Will their romance blossom, or fizz out.

And what about her old flame Jeremy?

Highly recommended for romance/women's fiction readers.
Profile Image for Melanie Mole.
Author 12 books35 followers
June 9, 2020
This wonderful book is funny, engaging for the reader, and the story is brilliant. Julia Sutton is a genius of a writer. She knows how to give the reader exactly what they want and does it with charm and flair. It was so good that I literally couldn't put this book down. I can't wait for a sequel!
Profile Image for Grace Kendrick.
7 reviews
May 22, 2020
This book has been such an amazing read and I have enjoyed reading it for the past two or three weeks of reading. It has shown me that whatever fears you may have like rose in the book rose did with flying and men, that you are able to overcome these fears and become strong and independent and to never give up. Can’t wait to read many more books of Julia Sutton as they are have all opened up many different aspects to me. A good read well do Julia Sutton!
4 reviews1 follower
January 16, 2021
I read this book over the summer in lockdown. I could not put it down. A fantastic tale of friendship, love and loyalty. Another great book by julia
Profile Image for Michele Northwood.
Author 22 books40 followers
November 13, 2023
I have read several of Julia Sutton’s books. She has an outstanding talent for creating characters that the reader can easily invest in. I guess it’s because we can all associate with the normal, everyday personalities she portrays. They resonate with us on a personal level because we are them, or know someone just like them.
This story is no different.
Rose is the girl next door, who lives with her parents and cranky grandmother. She has never left her hometown, never had a real boyfriend, and has worked in a bank since she left school. Rose tries to fill the gaps in her life by attending church and different groups, but she’s stuck in a rut and doesn’t realise it.
All that is about to change.
Her best friend from primary school has returned from travelling the world and brings her husband to be and his two brothers along for the ride. She wants Rose to be her matron of honour, but there’s a hitch. The wedding will be in Majorca. Rose will have to conquer her fear of flying (and everything else) to support her friend.
The author soon has you routing for Rose, willing her to step out of her comfort zone, experience life and hoping her dreams of falling in love become reality. But one brother is a ladies-man, and the other is hiding a secret. Will Rose make the right decision and even then, will she regret it?
I loved this feel-good story full of sunshine and fun. I willed Rose to bite the bullet, face her fears, and learn to live a little.
All the characters were believable and brought depth and intrigue to the plot. It’s a real, feel-good summer read, that could be devoured in front of the fire in the depths of winter, reminding us of better weather and the promise of better things to come.
Read it. You won’t be disappointed.
Profile Image for Michael Wilton.
Author 31 books11 followers
August 20, 2020
Purchase Verified Format: Kindle Version


This the first book I’ve read by Julia Sutton and it won’t be the last. The story is extremely entertaining and is full of the joys of life lurking around the corner. The centre character is a shy unfulfilled girl called Rose who lives with her parents and brother in a small and peaceful village where she dutifully attends Church and her social activities are mainly centred around the Church choir, reading and belonging to a knitting club.
Out of the blue, her best friend from her school days arrives out of the blue from Australia with three men in tow and turns her life upside down. Before she can get her breath back she is persuaded to act as Matron of Honour for her friend Shelly and fly to the island of Majorca for a beach party wedding. Overcoming her fear of flying, she is dazzled by the promise of blissful sunshine and a carefree holiday and an opportunity to cast aside all thoughts of her unrewarding office work with hints of romance in the offing.
The characters come to life on the page and are totally absorbing. If you’re looking for fun and romance don’t hesitate. Highly recommended.


Profile Image for Phil Price.
Author 37 books221 followers
May 7, 2020
Girl-next-door Rose works for a local bank, living a peaceful life in a small village in Middle-England. She attends church, is well-liked and is enjoying a peaceful, if unfulfilled existence.

Enter her long-lost friend from school, who arrives from Australia with three men in-tow. Her plans, a summer wedding on the island of Majorca, with Rose being asked to be the Matron of Honour.

Will it all work out? You'll have to find out...

A lovely summer read from an author who seems to know how to drag the reader into the story. All characters are very well crafted, even the peripheral characters are not just there to fill the pages. They all matter and all have a part to play.

It felt like a real coming-of-age story, which hit all the right notes in the right places.

Loved it.
Profile Image for BrummieGirl.
323 reviews
October 8, 2023
I enjoyed every minute of this delightful summer read. First of all, I’m in Mallorca and a huge part of this book is set in places I’ve been to. Secondly, I loved Rose’s personal journey. It was heartwarming, fun and satisfying.

I found ‘Cocktails, Wedding Bells and Summer Madness,’ to be a fast read and perfect for the beach. Julia writes wonderful, salt-of-the-earth characters. They feel real and they have a sense of humour which makes the reader really root for them.

Rom com fun. Loved, it!
Profile Image for Isabel.
10 reviews
May 9, 2020
lovely summer romance novel that I loved every minute of! I don’t usually read romances but this one was such a lovely story I couldn’t put it down!! The author makes you feel so invested in the characters lives that I felt as though I was in the book! This is such a nice book to read if you’re looking for something that will make you laugh, smile and overall feel happy! I would recommend this to everyone!!
Profile Image for Jamie-Lee Brooke.
Author 3 books27 followers
February 28, 2023
I loved this feel good story full of sunshine and fun. I couldn’t help but connect with Rose and rooted for her to find her own happiness. The gorgeous Tom Sinclair catches her eye but who is he really? What secrets will unravel under the Mediterranean sun? It’s a captivating, wonderfully written story with characters that feel like friends. I felt like I was right there on the beach enjoying the sun, sea and cocktails, perfect escapism!
Profile Image for Eleanor🦁.
12 reviews
May 27, 2020
started and finished in just one day. a thoroughly enjoyable summer read! can’t wait to see what julia writes next! X
Profile Image for Kazz Mossman.
Author 38 books208 followers
July 16, 2020
Easy to Read, Summer Fun with a Great Storyline!

This is the first book I’ve read by Julia Sutton and I’m sure it won’t be the last.

It’s an ideal summer read and it tells the story of Rose, who thinks of herself as boring because she doesn’t want what other girls want. I’m sure many readers will identify with her.

I loved the portrayal of her home life. She lives with her mum, dad, brother, and gran. They are a tightly-knit family unit.

It may seem like a long title for a book, but it plays directly into the story. Rose goes to Spain for the wedding of a friend. It’s super fun to see what happens and how the characters in her group get to know one another. It’s literally summer magic, with cocktails, friends, and a blossoming romance with a little surprise in tow.

I loved it! It's a great easy-to-read, page-turner from start to finish.

Readers who are looking for a romantic book to take on holiday, this one is ideal.

Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews