This post was originally published at Novelicious.com and is now at WritingTipsOasis.com. WritingTipsOasis.com acquired Novelicious.com in June 2022.
I Do, I Do, I Do (Little Black Dress)
Reviewed by Debs Carr
Isabelle is a PA in a trendy, Notting Hill TV production company, with a nightmare boss from hell and devastatingly attractive boyfriend, whose good looks are only matched by his elusiveness. When Izzy loses her job thanks to an embarrassing mistake, it doesn’t take her long to decide that the job she sees advertised, of a wedding planner in Majorca, could be exactly what she needs – a perfect excuse to escape her life, for six months at least.
This is an entertaining book full of fun and pitfalls that you would expect, or not, from making such a dramatic change to your life. Samantha Scott-Jeffries obviously knows Majorca and it’s people well, and gives a good sense of the island, so much so that you can almost feel the heat and smell the locally grown lemons. The different style weddings Izzy helps arrange by racing to and from locations on her Vespino scooter, and the chaos that ensues when unforeseen problems crop up causing havoc to the detailed plans of picky brides, keeps the book flowing well.
I was drawn in to the story from the first page, and was thrilled by the unexpected ending. I especially enjoyed the relationship between Izzy and her gay best friend, Ray, with his sharp wit, and naughtiness as he encourages her to believe in herself and go for it. All the characters in this book are well rounded, including her immaculate boss, Celia, still trying to deal with painful aspects of her past that return to haunt her, and her son Tomas, Izzy’s unexpected love interest, being the opposite of her by now ex-boyfriend, with his immaculate manners, old-fashioned sense of style and bookish ways.
The only criticism I can think of about this beautifully written book is that I would have liked a little less detail of the surroundings and more about Tomas, as I felt he was not included as much as he could have been in the book, but that could simply be my personal taste.
8/10