Book: Wedding Night
Author: Sophie Kinsella
Pages: 368
How long it took to read: 2 days
Plot Summary: Lottie is a successful HR professional who has been in a long-term relationship with her boyfriend, Richard. She thinks they've been together a while and now it is time to take things to the next level. So, when Richard books them a table at an exclusive restaurant and hints that he has something important to speak to her about, Lottie assumes the obvious and sets out to buy him an engagement ring. You know, in case he gives her one, she should have something to give him in return! When the "romantic dinner" does not quite turn out to be what Lottie had imagined, she becomes distraught and decides to make some big changes in her life.
Lottie's sister- Fliss- is scared to death that Lottie will do something stupid. Fliss, a recently divorced single mom, is going through the trauma that a divorce brings and is getting used to being a single parent; she just does not have the kind of time and mental space to deal with Lottie's drama.
When Lottie's "gap year" boy friend- Ben, with whom she had spent an idyllic summer on a Greek island, returns to her life after fifteen years and makes proclamations of undying love, Lottie decides that this is a sign from the universe and that she simply has to marry Ben.
Fliss freaks out on hearing this and together with Ben's best friend- Lorcan- sets out to sabotage Lottie's harebrained plans.
Key Characters: There is Lottie, of course. She is well-meaning and all but is still sort of an air head. Basically, she is the quintessential Sophie Kinsella character. She is sweet and clearly distraught when things with Richard don't work out the way she had envisaged. Lottie is fun to read about and I found her easier to relate to (as far as one can relate to Kinsella's characters!) than, say, Becky Bloomwood!
Then there is Fliss, Lottie's elder sister, who has pretty much raised Lottie. Fliss is better etched out as compared to Lottie and has more dimensions. She is successful, she struggles with her divorce and with being a single parent and trying to let herself be open to love again.
Richard, Ben and Lorcan are the three men in the book. None of them are really toe-melting hot (well, as toe-meltingly hot as guys in books can be!) and there is nothing special about any of them, really. Ben is just annoying and silly. Richard and Lorcan are more real, solid, good guys.
What I Liked: Kinsella is great at incorporating humor in her books and this book has several laugh out loud moments. Some of Lottie and Fliss' internal monologues are hilarious! Also, the various attempts at sabotaging Lottie's wedding and, eventually, wedding night are truly hilarious (some of these other antics are downright annoying and scary!). Plus, the book is a quick read because there is so much happening in the book.
What I Didn't Like: The book lacked a soul, of sorts. It seemed all very superficial- the feelings, the angst, the hurt.. everything. It all seemed a bit silly too. I know better than to expect some sort of profound epiphany from a romance novel, but even then, Wedding Night was just way too much of a leave-your-brains-at-the-door kind of a read.
Will You Like It: If you like light romance reads and just want something breezy and occasionally funny, then this is a good pick.
Rating: 3/5
Comments