Nina Kenwood, best known for her YA novels and former winner of the Text Prize, released her first novel for the adult market this September. While it’s decidedly less spicy than some other books in the genre I could mention, the book is definitely not meant for teenage readers.
The Wedding Forecast follows Anna, a marketing professional and writer who has just turned thirty and has recently ended a long term relationship with a man named Joel. The problem is, when we meet Anna, she and Joel are about to be in a bridal party together, at a wedding where the entire bridal party is sharing a house for the weekend. Joel is bringing his new girlfriend. His new girlfriend is pregnant. Anna has resolved not to be an emotional wreck or lean into any of the ex-girlfriend stereotypes, no matter how upsetting the situation gets.
Except, things are worse than she ever could have imagined. For a start, her mum and her mum’s best friend decided to see a psychic about Anna’s love life and now they are convinced that the man of her dreams — someone named Patrick — will be at the wedding. Plus, the groom’s best friend — an actor with a reputation for being a bit of a Lothario — is sending Anna some mixed signals.
What ensues is a hilarious and heart-warming rom-com about missed opportunities, forgiveness, and getting what you want. Sure, there’s a bit of wish fulfilment in the plot, but that’s why people love romantic comedies. We love watching the Bridget Joneses, and the Anna’s of the world, get their man, whoever that man should be. The complexities of attraction can be hard to write, particularly when you want to create a convincing love triangle, and I think that was handled quite well.
The book is structured in three parts, with the first section being the wedding, the second being a trip to New York several months later, and the final section following the launch of Anna’s second book a few months later again. At times, I did feel a little confused by how much time had actually passed in between each interaction. But, for the most part it worked and I could see the necessity for collapsing time in between these three major landmarks in Anna’s story.
As a main character, Anna is great. She’s funny and wise and self deprecating. A lot of readers will really relate to her, especially to her worries that she might, as a single woman in her thirties, be getting left behind. I loved the extra detail about life as a writer, and especially enjoyed/ cringed my way through the scene in which a customer rudely returns a copy of her novel at the bookshop where Anna is working. That sort of torture feels like it has its roots in real life.
A great read for the Christmas holidays as it’s quick and pacy, but maybe not the best one to give to your friend who’s been through a breakup!
Check this one out if you loved The Other Bridget by Rachael Johns.
FOUR STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
The Wedding Forecast by Nina Kenwood is available now from Text Publishing. Get yourself a copy from your favourite bookstore HERE.
