Review: 'The Winter Wedding' by Abby Clements (2015)

Hazel never set out to be a wedding planner. She was just helping her stressed sister Lila with cakes and décor for her big day. But when Lila and Ollie's summer ceremony is a runaway success, with guests raving about the food and styling at the pretty venue, word about Hazel's expertise soon spreads. 

But Hazel's clients expect the very best - she's promised lawyers Gemma and Eliot a snow-covered castle in the Scottish Highlands, and laidback couple Josh and Sarah a bohemian beach wedding in a Caribbean paradise. But as weather, in-laws and wilful brides conspire against her, can Hazel get two very different couples to walk up two very different aisles to say 'I do'? And will she find her own happy ending if she does?

I love Abby Clements; it's as simple as that, really. Whenever a new book with her name on it is released I can't wait to get my hands on a copy, because I just know it will be a novel I will enjoy. Her writing is amazing (quick-paced but detailed, a lot of dialogue), her storylines always captivate me and it's just exactly what chick lit should be, in my opinion. So, when I got the chance to review Abby's latest work 'The Winter Wedding', which was released in November by Simon & Schuster, I couldn't say yes quickly enough! After having read 'The Heavenly Italian Ice Cream Shop' this summer (click here to read my review), I couldn't wait to dive into this festive Christmas read and be swept away by it!

Hazel works at a TV production company and she knows a promotion must be coming her way soon, especially after all her hard work. Now her twin sister Lila has moved out of their London apartment, Hazel can definitely use the money. But when the promotion is unexpectedly given to someone else, Hazel realises she needs to find another way to pay the rent, next to finding a new roommate. When her sister Lila and her fiancee Ollie ask Hazel to plan their wedding, Hazel ends up enjoying it so much, she decides to become a wedding planner. But dealing with couples about to get married is not as easy as it seems, especially not when your own love life suddenly starts to take its own surprising course as well...

Another simply amazing read by Abby Clements and one that brings together so many topics I love: from sisterly bonds to friendship to baking to Christmas to weddings to romance... 'The Winter Wedding' is a fantastic read which I enjoyed from start to finish and can't recommend enough to any chick lit fans out there. I'm a big of Abby Clements' writing; it almost felt like I was flying through the pages. I loved the relatively short chapters and didn't at one point feel like putting the novel down. It held my attention throughout and I just wanted to finish it, seeing what would happen to the different characters and how the various storylines would eventually be brought to a close.

I really liked Hazel, the main character in the book. She was easy to like, just like all the great secondary characters, such as Hazel's twin sister Lila, her colleague Josh, and her new roommate Amber, who each had something to bring to the story. If I have to think of one thing I would change about this novel, I would add a bit more Christmas and festive cheer, but that's the only thing. I am sad I finished the book so quickly and would love to have a new Abby Clements novel waiting for me, so hopefully her next release will be upon us soon. Overall, 'The Christmas Wedding' is an uplifting, heartwarming, well-written chick lit read; perfect to curl up with on a cold winter day (or any other day of the year, really)!
Rating:10/10

  For more information about this book: Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com / Goodreads

Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.