Publication Date: October 8, 2024
Planning a wedding is so romantic . . . except when it’s not yours, and you’re planning it with the guy you’re secretly crushing on.
Scottish schoolteacher Liv Holland has a secret. She’s been carrying a torch for Arran Adebayo, her brother’s best friend, for years. A blind date gone wrong cements in Liv’s mind that Arran has no romantic interest in her whatsoever. But then, with her brother set to marry her own best friend, she and Arran are enlisted to help plan the festivities…
After being left at the altar by his ex, single father Arran is having trouble managing his growing feelings towards the woman who is both his best friend’s sister and his son’s teacher: Liv. Then his mind is blown when fate thrusts them together for an unexpected blind date, but he messes up his chance to tell her how he feels.
As the big day approaches and Liv and Arran’s connection intensifies, their chemistry chafes against their checkered romantic histories. Risking everything for love could mean losing each other forever . . . or being the next ones to find their happy ever after.
The Wedding Engagement by Zoe Allison is a contemporary romance in which friends become more. Liv and Arran are best mates and becoming more, but oh, so slowly. Arron’s young son Jayce was a cute addition, adding levity to the mix.
Arran is best friends with Liv’s twin brother, who is engaged to her best friend. The story’s main focus is the planning of Sam and Maya’s wedding. Set in Scotland, there are a lot of Scottish words describing the action, the food, and some of the locales. They each have another friend who is part of the story, and the six form a good group of friends. They all have their issues that they’re dealing with. Working through their problems alone and together took time; sometimes I felt they needed a push.
Family issues and relationship details were always present; most were unhappy memories. Multiple stories are told, and they are woven together. There are some steamy moments as well. There is closure and a happily ever after for Arran and Liv, which takes place during the wedding. While their getting together was expected and portrayed nicely, it took them to the last two chapters to finally acknowledge their feelings so they could get their happily ever after in the sweetest of ways.
Set in Scotland, The Wedding Engagement moves friends to lovers as they help plan a wedding for secondary characters.
Zoe Allison is a graduate of the RNA’s New Writers’ Scheme. Alongside her day jobs as a doctor and a writer, she started a TikTok account in 2021 where she regularly shares comedic sketches based on writing, and the romance genre in particular.
