Shandi Sturgill

I won’t lie, it took me a while to get invested in this novel. While I liked Rea’s writing, I think this was because I didn’t really feel much chemistry between Willa and her love interest Liam. It didn’t help that their relationship follows a trope I’ve never been a fan of. When the male and female love interest can’t stand each other when they first meet. But then the guy does something for the girl (or her family) and she can suddenly no longer deny she’s in love with him. For some reason this has always felt really disingenuous to me. 

What this novel does really well is focus on the importance of friendship. Along with Willa’s closeness to her family I loved seeing her friendship with Maisie develop. It’s not often depicted in the media how difficult building new friendships, especially once you’re out of your teens or early twenties, can be. Rea devoted a substantial portion of Willa’s character arc to moving past the betrayal of her former best friend. Typically, the media will focus on the protagonist reopening themselves to love. Moving on when you’ve been deeply hurt can be tricky to navigate, and it’s sometimes difficult to not view everyone through the lens of that wound. Willa struggles with all of this, and it was refreshing that Rea showed how this applies just as much to non-romantic relationships.

Another plot point I liked was Maisie’s secret. We are made aware that something happened in Maisie’s past that was severe enough that her family is no longer in her life. This added some mystery and stakes to the novel. I also liked that Rea didn’t provide many clues leading up to the reveal. I was kept guessing what mild-mannered Macy could have possibly been involved in until she revealed her story to Willa.

Overall, I enjoyed The Wedding Ringer. It’s a lighthearted read with some compelling themes. While it’s marketed more as a romance the story centers far more on Willa’s relationship with herself and her friends and family. I would definitely recommend grabbing a copy.