A Winter's Wedding [Paperback]

A Winter's Wedding is a bit different to most Chick Lit novels, as instead of the main female and male characters hating each other, then loving each other then fighting before declaring undying love at the end, Emily and Dylan have a solid relationship. And A Winter's Wedding charts their relationship from the beginning when they meet at a charity shop. And that is basically the plot in a nutshell. Yes, Emily has some issues to get over, but there are no plot twists or unexpected issues throughout the book. It's purely a love story. I liked that, sometimes I get a bit bored with books that don't have twists and turns but A Winter's Wedding was nicely done and I enjoyed just how simple Emily and Dylan's relationship was.

There are a few other things going on in the book, Emily's relationship (if you can call it that) with her parents as well as her friendship with boss Arabella. There's nothing note-worthy, though, so if you're expecting a fast paced and frenetic read then this one isn't for you. However for Chick Lit fans who like a change of pace once in a while and want to read about two people who genuinely love each other from the word go then this is absolutely for you.

I really liked both Emily and Dylan. They seemed so perfect for each other and they both seemed like lovely people. Emily is a bit guarded for a while, after she was left stood at the altar, but she really comes into her own when she realises Dylan is nothing like Alex, her ex. And Dylan is just the perfect guy. Seriously, this is the type of man everyone would like to meet and there's basically nothing wrong with him. No wife, no deranged ex, no skeletons in his closet, no sirree. I found it hard to warm to Emily's parents, as they were never really there for Emily, however they go eventually get a bit of a wake up call which made me like them a bit better. As for Arabella, I found her fascinating, if a little crazy. She has her spiteful moments but on the whole I think she was a nice person.

I really enjoyed reading A Winter's Wedding. The change of pace really worked for me especially after the fast paced read I just finished before reading this one (Getting Away With It by Julie Cohen, if you're wondering). It's not a book that will appeal to all and some will find it very slow, but I enjoyed it. It comes in at just under 300 pages which makes it a very quick read. It's the perfect read to curl up with during Christmas, and the tale of Emily and Dylan's relationship is really sweet and it's the kind of good-feeling story that will leave a smile on everyone's faces after they finish reading the book!

I really enjoyed Sharon Owen's last book, The Seven Secrets of Happiness so I was very pleased to receive her latest book to review.
Emily is quite a mysterious character at the beginning of the book, I felt like she was quite sad and lonely. All we know about her is that she was born and raised in Belfast but that she moved to London a few years ago and barley has any contact with her parents. As the book goes on though, Emily starts de-cluttering the antique wardrobe in her bedroom and through the items she removes, we begin to learn more and more about her. This is how she meets Dylan as he is working in his sister's charity shop where Emily drops off the unwanted stuff.
Now Dylan is a lovely character, maybe a little too good to be true but I think these kind of men are always welcome in books. Just as the reader is slowly finding out more about Emily, so too is Dylan. He is quite an intriguing character as well, we don't know too much about him and there were several occasions where I wondered if he may have a skeleton or two in his cupboard.
My favourite character though was Arabella, Emily's disgruntled boss. She pretty much has a heart of gold but when her marriage hits the rocks, she becomes quite a comical character, hell bent on revenge.
A Winter's Wedding is obviously set in the winter and the run up to Christmas so it is a lovely book to read at this time of year or even to give as a Christmas present.
Sharon Owen has delivered another highly entertaining story with characters what you wouldn't mind having a cup of tea with. The book is published today and I recommend you give it a go, it's perfect reading for curling up with a mug of hot chocolate at this time of year.

I have read all Sharon Owens novels since she published her first one Teahouse on Mulberry Street and I have to say that I have throughly enjoyed devouring each and everyone. Her lastest novel, A Winter's Wedding doesn't fail to disappoint, it is a great way to spend a few quiet hours with a cup of tea (or two). Sharon's writing is the right amount of serious issues versus light heartedness which always delivers a happy ending and always leaves you feeling good. Her novels aren't your typical fluff that you may expect from some chick lit novels, the stories within are told with the right amount of substance which makes it a very worthwhile read. Thanks again, Sharon Owens for keeping this reader entertained. I'm sure along with the rest of Sharon's fans, we cannot wait for the next novel.