I finished The Christmas Wedding last night ~ so five days, start to finish, without spending a lot of time on it on any one day. Last night I read the entire second half in a couple hours. So, to sum up ~ this is an easy read. :)
Since the book was released in October, it has garnered decidedly mixed reviews. Amazon readers have given The Christmas Wedding a firm C average ~ 2.5 out of 5 stars as I write this. I'm not sure why, though. Well, yes I am, if I read some of their comments; a "silly plot", it "lacks depth", and "I hated pretty much every character in it" were three reviewers opinions. And yes, if you are expecting an Alex Cross-esque Patterson novel, then you will think this is the "worst he's ever written". But, if you'd like to read something more along the lines of his three previous "romance" novels {I use that word begrudgingly ~ even at his softest, Patterson is not Danielle Steel, the queen of the romance novel ~ and I mean that in a good way}, than you just may enjoy The Christmas Wedding.
The book jacket summary:
The tree is decorated, the cookies are baked, and the packages are wrapped, but the biggest cause for celebration this Christmas is Gaby Summerhill's wedding. Since her husband died three years ago, Gaby's four children have drifted apart, consumed by the turbulence of their own lives. They haven't celebrated Christmas together since their father's death, but when Gaby announces that she's getting married ~ and that the identity of the groom will remain a secret until the wedding day ~ she may finally be able to bring them home for the holidays.
The wedding isn't the only surprise ~ there is one more unexpected gift, and it could change all their lives forever. With deeply affecting characters and the emotional twists of a James Patterson thriller, The Christmas Wedding is a fresh look at family and the magic of the season.
In short ~ I liked it! It's not my favorite James Patterson novel; that title will likely always be reserved for Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas. But The Christmas Wedding was engaging, despite it's strange plot line ~ and it is strange. Gaby is proposed to by three men, who are also friends with one another {and one is her deceased husbands' brother}, and the three of them are all okay with her waiting to reveal her decision on who she will marry until she gets to the altar. Realistic? Well, probably not...but it does allow for Patterson's signature mystery style to be present. You really don't know who the groom will be until Gaby reveals her choice at the altar.
I liked almost all the characters ~ I would love to see them revisited in a future book. I thought they were interesting and diverse, as families tend to be. At 266 pages, The Christmas Wedding is definitely on the short side. Perhaps Patterson, and co-author Richard DiLallo, could have plumped up the book by delving more into the history of the family; by way of flashbacks, maybe? We only really get to know them at present day ~ there is a mention here or there about something they did or liked as a child or teen, but we don't hear any real stories about them that let us know how they were shaped into the people they are today; and they are a group of very different personalities, so they must have been shaped into their very different selves by more than just the home they were raised in. And we never really hear about Gaby's husband, her children's father, who has only been gone for three years. There are few mentions of the man, aside from a few pages near the beginning of the book. Another oddity? All of her children and grandchildren call Gaby "Gaby"; when did that start, and why?
As I often wonder when novels are co-authored ~ how does that work? Did DiLallo really do most of the "work" {which would explain why thriller-Patterson purists aren't big fans of the book}, and Patterson perhaps supplied the plot line? Did they sit in a room together and write every word together? And, if you're as successful as James Patterson, why co-write ~ why not just write it yourself?
But, I digress. I liked the book, and I would recommend the book, but I do think it could have been better. Also, the "second surprise" mentioned in the book jacket description? I never figured out what that was; there are lots of little surprises, or announcements, achievements, etc, throughout the short novel. But one that could "change their lives forever", and is separate from the wedding itself? I didn't pick up on one.
So, have you read The Christmas Wedding, or are you planning to? If you have read it, what did you think? Which character did you find most compelling, relatable, or interesting? Who did you want Gaby to marry, or who did you think she would marry? What do you think that second, life-changing surprise was? Were you happy with the way the story turned out?
Merry Reading, bookworms!
xoxo
Bean
{photo credit: amazon.com}
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