Book Review: The Wedding Season by Katy Birchall

I was given a free e-copy of this novel by NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Freya Scott is getting married. Her wedding to Matthew, her long-term boyfriend, is the first of eight in her calendar this year, and as someone who prides herself on being meticulously organized, Freya is intent on making it the perfect day to remember.

But when Matthew calls things off hours before they walk down the aisle, Freya’s entire life plan goes up in smoke. Humiliated and heartbroken, the last thing she wants is to attend a summer of other peoples’ nuptials on her own.

Fortunately, her friends have an idea: together they devise a series of outrageous challenges for Freya to complete at each event, designed to distract her from Matthew and what might have been. From getting stuck in an old church bathroom and needing to be rescued by the vicar to making out with a barman at a French chateau, Freya realizes that despite herself, she might just be having fun.

By the time the final wedding arrives, she will discover that the road to a happy ending sometimes has unexpected detours, that “I do” is only the beginning––and that perhaps her own love story isn’t over just yet. (Goodreads synopsis)

I have not read anything by Katy Birchall before, but this was absolutely amazing!

No one likes the idea of being jilted at the altar, whether it is the bride or the groom. So, this novel was clearly going to be emotional. However, I found that it was also uplifting. There were moments of crying, but I also laughed at the endless humor, both intentional and embarrassing bits. The reader starts by rooting for Freya to either get over Matthew or take revenge on him. Then slowly it feels like they may get back together. Finally, you begin to feel that you don’t care either way as long as Freya finds some happiness with herself. I admired the way the author layered Freya’s personality. Obviously, she was in pain, but she refused to let it make her bitter to her friends’ happiness, and she continued to be there for them as well.

This novel has a bit of romance (come on, it’s called the Wedding Season, duh!), but that is not the main focus. The whole plot is about Freya and how she begins to heal. Not just heal from the cruelty of Matthew, but also in her own familial relationships as well. The wedding tasks were cute and easy, but they required her to step out of her comfort zone and let her inhibitions fly. It’s a lesson we all need to learn, especially during today’s crises. Her friends make me so jealous, because they don’t ignore the situation, but they also don’t allow her to wallow. They set almost everything at Freya’s pace, and I think that is exactly what a supportive network should be. I also like that the many brides didn’t try to dissuade her from coming to their weddings. There was no pettiness present throughout this novel, which was refreshing.

As a separate note, Freya has a conversation with someone about having a fear of finding a spider in a water glass when you go to take a sip. I have had this happen to me and it was terrifying! Personally, I found that this helped make scenes more relatable to real life, and feel less like a cliche rom-com. I’m sure other readers will find scenes that they also have experienced, and I think that also encourages the readers to find some newer, healthier coping strategies to life’s complications.

Overall, I rate this novel 5 out of 5 stars.