Summary (from chapters.ca):
Wickedly hilarious and utterly recognizable, Girls in White Dresses tells the story of three women grappling with heartbreak and career change, family pressure and new love-all while suffering through an endless round of weddings and bridal showers.
Isabella, Mary, and Lauren feel like everyone they know is getting married. On Sunday after Sunday, at bridal shower after bridal shower, they coo over toasters, collect ribbons and wrapping paper, eat minuscule sandwiches and doll-sized cakes. They wear pastel dresses and drink champagne by the case, but amid the celebration these women have their own lives to contend with: Isabella is working at a mailing-list company, dizzy with the mixed signals of a boss who claims she's on a diet but has Isabella file all morning if she forgets to bring her a chocolate muffin. Mary thinks she might cry with happiness when she finally meets a nice guy who loves his mother, only to realize he'll never love Mary quite as much. And Lauren, a waitress at a Midtown bar, swears up and down she won't fall for the sleazy bartender-a promise that his dirty blond curls and perfect vodka sodas make hard to keep.
With a wry sense of humor, Jennifer Close brings us through those thrilling, bewildering, what-on-earth-am-I-going-to-do-with-my-life years of early adulthood. These are the years when everyone else seems to have a plan, a great job, and an appropriate boyfriend, while Isabella has a blind date with a gay man, Mary has a crush on her boss, and Lauren has a goldfish named Willard. Through boozy family holidays and disastrous ski vacations, relationships lost to politics and relationships found in pet stores, Girls in White Dresses pulls us deep inside the circle of these friends, perfectly capturing the wild frustrations and soaring joys of modern life.
Review:
"Always a bridesmaid, never a bride"
As spring and summer approach, those traveling in large social circles must open their mailboxes while holding their breath. For there is nothing worse than the dreaded wedding invitation - such a joyous occasion to the family of the betrothed, a wedding can be single girl's worst nightmare. Okay, worse is picking up the phone and hearing the words, 'I would be honoured if you would be in my bridal party!' Oy!
Jennifer Close's description of weddings as you age was bang-on perfect. The first weddings that you attend after graduation are absolute gong-shows... binge-drinking to your heart's content, dancing all-night-long, and staying out until sunrise. As you get older and the weddings become more frequent, the drinking is less (as you tend to look like the crazy single lady that people stay away from), the dancing is slower (high heels hurt), and the all-nighters are now midnighters (who can handle staying up all night anyways). I often found myself nodding in understanding as Isabella, Mary and Lauren discussed the next event they HAD to attend.
Being an avid fan of a good wedding story, I really enjoyed that Girls in White Dresses looks at the other side of the story and isn't from the brides point-of-view. It was very refreshing and brought into focus that the day isn't always about the bride... unless you ARE the bride!!
Girls in White Dresses will be proudly displayed - on my bookshelf - next to Nora Roberts wedding quartet series because it ranks right up there as one of my favourite wedding reads. A perfect summer story that will make you laugh out loud as you journey through the lives of these three wonderful, loveable, women.
Overall, this is a fantastic novel and I look forward to reading many more from Jennifer Close. She is a true gem to this genre!!
Wickedly hilarious and utterly recognizable, Girls in White Dresses tells the story of three women grappling with heartbreak and career change, family pressure and new love-all while suffering through an endless round of weddings and bridal showers.
Isabella, Mary, and Lauren feel like everyone they know is getting married. On Sunday after Sunday, at bridal shower after bridal shower, they coo over toasters, collect ribbons and wrapping paper, eat minuscule sandwiches and doll-sized cakes. They wear pastel dresses and drink champagne by the case, but amid the celebration these women have their own lives to contend with: Isabella is working at a mailing-list company, dizzy with the mixed signals of a boss who claims she's on a diet but has Isabella file all morning if she forgets to bring her a chocolate muffin. Mary thinks she might cry with happiness when she finally meets a nice guy who loves his mother, only to realize he'll never love Mary quite as much. And Lauren, a waitress at a Midtown bar, swears up and down she won't fall for the sleazy bartender-a promise that his dirty blond curls and perfect vodka sodas make hard to keep.
With a wry sense of humor, Jennifer Close brings us through those thrilling, bewildering, what-on-earth-am-I-going-to-do-with-my-life years of early adulthood. These are the years when everyone else seems to have a plan, a great job, and an appropriate boyfriend, while Isabella has a blind date with a gay man, Mary has a crush on her boss, and Lauren has a goldfish named Willard. Through boozy family holidays and disastrous ski vacations, relationships lost to politics and relationships found in pet stores, Girls in White Dresses pulls us deep inside the circle of these friends, perfectly capturing the wild frustrations and soaring joys of modern life.
Review:
"Always a bridesmaid, never a bride"
As spring and summer approach, those traveling in large social circles must open their mailboxes while holding their breath. For there is nothing worse than the dreaded wedding invitation - such a joyous occasion to the family of the betrothed, a wedding can be single girl's worst nightmare. Okay, worse is picking up the phone and hearing the words, 'I would be honoured if you would be in my bridal party!' Oy!
Jennifer Close's description of weddings as you age was bang-on perfect. The first weddings that you attend after graduation are absolute gong-shows... binge-drinking to your heart's content, dancing all-night-long, and staying out until sunrise. As you get older and the weddings become more frequent, the drinking is less (as you tend to look like the crazy single lady that people stay away from), the dancing is slower (high heels hurt), and the all-nighters are now midnighters (who can handle staying up all night anyways). I often found myself nodding in understanding as Isabella, Mary and Lauren discussed the next event they HAD to attend.
Being an avid fan of a good wedding story, I really enjoyed that Girls in White Dresses looks at the other side of the story and isn't from the brides point-of-view. It was very refreshing and brought into focus that the day isn't always about the bride... unless you ARE the bride!!
Girls in White Dresses will be proudly displayed - on my bookshelf - next to Nora Roberts wedding quartet series because it ranks right up there as one of my favourite wedding reads. A perfect summer story that will make you laugh out loud as you journey through the lives of these three wonderful, loveable, women.
Overall, this is a fantastic novel and I look forward to reading many more from Jennifer Close. She is a true gem to this genre!!
Thank you Lindsay for a great Guest Review. You can follow Lindsay on twitter @TTPBookReview
And be sure to check out her blog http://www.turningthepages.ca
Thank you SO much for allowing me the opportunity of joining you on your blog! It has been an honour getting to know you and sharing our love of all things reading! Hope to share more 'guest reviews' in the future! <3
ReplyDeleteLindsay @ www.turningthepages.ca
You are welcome Lindsay and you can come over any time and share your reviews with us. Once again thankyou for taking part xxx
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a nice, fun little read, and I can definitely relate after the weddings I've been to. Awesome review!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a really fun read - thanks for a great review, Lindsay!
ReplyDelete