Reviewed by Claire Allan
(Published as The Trouble With Weddings in Ireland)
Sitting down with a Sharon Owens book is like sitting down with a good friend, a bottle of wine and a (kingsize) bar of chocolate and settling in for a good old girly chat.
Her writing oozes warmth, humour, gossip and decadent, gorgeous descriptions of perhaps the nicest homes, gardens, offices and restaurants you could ever choose to visit.
With Revenge of the Wedding Planner you get to add wedding dresses into the equation too - it's almost every woman's dream come true.
But don't be fooled into thing it's all designer shoes and style queens - Owens brings a twist to all her books and Mags - the narrator of this story - is a real gem. An ex-goth, married to an ex-punk, trying to raise four teenagers and keep her flighty boss in line - Mags is one of those strong, beautifully warm yet flawed heroines who you would really like to meet in real life.
When Mags' boss, Julie embarks on a life crisis, running away from her live-in lover and throwing herself in to a hair-raisingly sexy fling with Jay, it is Mag herself who is left to pick up the pieces. And when Julie eventually comes back, Jay in tow, the real trouble starts.
But there is so much more to this book than Julie and her dodgy love life - in fact in many ways I felt that storyline was secondary to Mags' life - which has it's own share of ups and downs.
Mags relationship with her husband is a joy to read - one of fiction's genuinely happy and believable couples. Her relationship with her children - especially her eldest son and daughter - is beautifully written. And her relationship with her parents is funny and extremely moving.
This book is without a doubt one of the funniest, warmest books I've read in many a long year.
It had laugh out loud moments, risque love scenes, a sexy bar man, wedding cake dilemmas and a very funny series of twists and turns. And yet at the heart of it there was a serious message about love, forgiveness, friendship and family.
It was delightful, entirely.
Rating: 5/5
Like this? Try It Must Be Love by Sharon Owens
