The Wedding Party

May 1, 2019
A one-night stand slowly evolves into a long-term relationship in Guillory's (The Proposal, 2018, etc.) third book featuring an interconnected group of friends. Maddie Forest and Theo Stephens have never liked each other. Maddie thinks Theo is annoying and arrogant, and he thinks she's a vapid party girl. However, having the same best friend, Alexa Monroe (heroine of The Wedding Date, 2018), means they have no choice but to see each other socially. After years of terse interactions, Maddie and Theo have a one-night stand after his birthday party. The beginning crackles with promise, but then they drift into a monotonous monthslong secret affair which consists solely of them hanging out in Theo's apartment, eating pizza, and having sex. Neither Theo nor Maddie wants to tell Alexa they're hooking up, and when she asks both of them to be members of her wedding party, they decide the wedding will be the end point for their affair. As time passes, they share with one another their professional hopes and aspirations about making the world a better place. Theo is working to pass a statewide pre-K initiative, and Maddie dreams of landing a gig as a TV stylist for women re-entering the workforce after having gone through homelessness or rehabilitation. When Theo's pre-K rally takes an implausible turn, they double down on secrecy even though it's clear their feelings have changed. Ultimately, the characters display a perplexing lack of initiative as romantic partners: Everything happens to them, they rarely stop to examine their feelings, and they are too afraid to share the truth in their hearts. The sheer lack of action brings the romance to a grinding halt as Maddie and Theo wait for someone else to arrive and propel them into the next stage of their relationship. Likable characters trapped in a plodding, directionless romance.

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May 15, 2019
Maddie Forest would do anything for her best friend, Alexa, even if it means helping uptight Theo Stephens plan Alexa's wedding. Theo is the press secretary for the mayor of Berkeley, so he knows that looks and demeanor convey a message; but Maddie, with her sexy dresses and her take-no-crap attitude, is a bit much for him. Then a ride home turns into an impromptu dance party, which turns into a very hot night. They agree that, even though they don't like each other, they can keep sleeping together?in secret. The problem is, hiding out involves a lot of intimate time on their couches, and they accidentally get to appreciate each other. Guillory (The Wedding Date, 2018) does such a good job conveying the electricity between the pair that, when the requisite conflict arises, it is overcome pretty easily. Still, this enemies-to-lovers story includes genuinely touching moments as Maddie and Theo learn some hard truths about themselves as they (spoiler!) fall in love. As always with Guillory, relationships with side characters round out this hilarious, satisfying romantic comedy.HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Guillory's romantic comedies have earned the adoration of everyone from Reese Witherspoon to Roxane Gay, and this one should reach the same wide readership.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)