PTW Pick - The Wedding Date
Written by: Angelica Little
Alexa is celebrating her sister’s promotion. Drew is fretting a wedding he wants no part of. And they’re temporarily trapped in an elevator when the hotel power fails. Jasmine Guillory’s debut, The Wedding Date, is a tale of two strangers whose spontaneous weekend prompts an unexpected romance.
When I picked up this title I was pulling myself from a reading slump. It’s a perfect light read that won’t guilt trip you into continuing if you’ve got to take a reading break. Alexa and Drew float from rehearsal dinner to wedding and accumulate frequent flyer miles in a brief 300 pages.
Despite the extraordinary circumstances, Alexa and Drew’s compatibility is undeniable. Outwardly they complement each other, but I found much of Drew’s inner dialogue to be clingy. After agreeing to attend the wedding rehearsal, he tells other guests that Alexa is his girlfriend and in public has to act as such. Hand-holding, longing gazes, and comforting touches to the waist must sell the idea that they did not meet less than 24 hours ago. The next day, at the wedding, they must keep up that same act. Alexa’s company is so infectious that Drew can barely function without her. Anytime she steps away he immediately searches for signs of her—the sound of her laughter, her coily hair, or the sight of her figure-hugging dress. The harder he falls for her, the creepier his actions become. If he were less dependent on Alexa, in the beginning, I would have liked his character more.
The story’s central character is what kept me reading. Alexa is independent but longs for a relationship between her and Drew. She is confident in a room of people, but questions the width of her hips. She defends a project and urges the city to build, but fears telling her sister that their rocky relationship inspired its creation. I wish the relationship between Alexa and her sister was elaborated. Her sister, Olivia, is briefly mentioned at the beginning of the story, again during a reference to Alexa's teenage past, and once more during the city hall meeting. An established sister dynamic could have strengthened Alexa’s desire for the project to be approved.
Guillory’s debut is a sweet and solid read from beginning to end. She created an endearing main character with depth beyond one-half of the relationship. It wasn’t the most spectacular book I’ve read, but I was reminded that romance is a pleasurable genre and not mere guilty pleasure. So if you’re like Drew and not looking for commitment but a lot of fun, this is the book for you!