this was a nice romance.

i have this strange fascination with wedding planners. no idea why but i really enjoy reading or watching media that includes wedding planners.

so i was excited for this.

and it was a good book.

my biggest issue was how unrealistic i found the two main characters for most of the book but especially the beginning.

i really disliked how extremely hateful and hurtful the main man was because he „knew“ the main woman when she was 19 and in college and away from her family for the first time and wanted to have some fun times with her girlfriend -who was the younger sister of the man.

i hate when characters mistreat others because of something that happened 10+ years ago especially if it wasn’t even that bad.
and he’s horrible to her!

he completely undermines her professionally -openly! and does everything he can to make her feel bad or as if she’s bad at her job.
which is a horrible thing to do!
especially to the best friend of your little sister who does your sister a favor!

so i wasn’t a big fan of him.

and sure it was made clear that he’s a control freak but you know what? i am one too and i know a few others (it runs in my family!) and what we all have in common is that we don’t undermine people that clearly know what they are doings because it’s their profession.
would i question everything and make them explain it all down to the smallest detail and cent spent? yes!
would i want to be there to see every detail and make sure it’s want i envision and want? yes.
but you know what i wouldn’t do?
try to seem smarter then they are and take over.

if you’re really that controlling and don’t like the chooses your sibling made in regards of a hired help then tell them that and give them options you think are better fitted for their needs.

but don’t try to take over behind their back and at the same time pretend everything is perfect to their face.

also you can’t talk down to a planner that was given a budget and they stuck to it, and then complain or pick something completely outside the budget that will be more fitting but wasn’t an option before the budget was taken away.
that’s completely stupid!
and that happens a few times, where the guy comes in and sees the options, complains about it even though it’s exactly what the bride wanted and so the planner did her job! but then he goes and shows up with something completely outside what was agreed on.
and excuse me, of course something that is completely outside of my price range but my dream is the one i will love more - but i would also be happy with my own choices and and sticking to the budget i picked?
so i found those scenes extremely „i am a man i know better!“ not only towards the planner but the bride/sister too.

and disguising those moments as „bets“ isn’t helping the situation at all. you shouldn’t make bets about what someone likes more of both people playing don’t have an even playing field!

also don’t be a nice guy to everyone but the person you are supposed to be nice to even if it’s just play acting in favor to your sibling.
that’s horrible too!

that horrible not only to the person having to deal with you but also completely unfair to your sibling!

sorry.
rant over (maybe)

moving on.

clearly i wasn’t a fan of the guy.
and he did get better but it took a long time (maybe around 180-200 or so pages out of the 300?) and i can’t say that i really bought how this romance was done.

both dislike each other a lot and don’t enjoy being around each other and just think the other is a bad person in some way - and then all of a sudden both start thinking how attracted the other one is? without real reason for that change?
mhm.

okay.

and even the romance itself was pretty problematic because it was clear that either of them would always have to be something they didn’t see themselves being.

the woman had to be interested in a relationship that she was pretty sure wouldn’t end up in a marriage because the man didn’t believe in those but she wanted exactly that.

so it’s foreseeable how it ends -one or both of them have to stop believing in what they want.


this all sounds as of this was a bad book.

it wasn’t.

i really loved the family dynamics outside the romance

i loved the sunshine sisters (which i am guessing all three books are based on) and how they are always there for each other but also fight each other.

i love the little niece! she was such a well done addition to the book!

i really enjoyed that we got a male wedding planner -sure we can already foresee that kn one of the next two books he’s going to be the love interest of one of the sisters. but still! it’s great so see a guy on that kind of job! and proudly doing it!

i loved that we had perfectionist as characters that actually had a huge struggle with letting others step in and help or take part of the work.
it’s rare to see this type of representation of perfectionism where it’s really all about getting every single little detail perfect and not wanting others to interfere until is finished.


there were some great moments challenging stereotypes for both men and women in there which was nice to see.

i also loved the small coastal town setting!

and it was really well written overall.


so all in all?
it’s a good book.

it clearly wasn’t my favorite romance couple but i did love the sunshine sisters and will continue and see where their stories are going.

i think that this book is one of those that you either love because you enjoy the moments between the two main characters or are similar to me and are frustrated with them and how that could develop into a romance when it’s toxic from start to finish.

doesn’t mean i disliked the book. i just disliked the main romance, but thankfully that wasn’t the only storyline in the book.

so overall i hope for better things with the next one!