I'm writing a rom-com about a wedding planner, so naturally I've been reading everything on my shelf that revolves around a big day. Here's what's there: mostly rom-coms, plus one thriller, because sometimes the wedding goes very, very wrong.
The rom-coms
- Before I Do by Sophie Cousens
The night before Audrey's wedding, the man she shared one perfect, unfinished day with years ago shows up as a guest. Cold feet, what-ifs, and a bride who has to decide what she actually wants. Funny and thoughtful about the pressure of the big day.
- The Fiancé Dilemma by Elena Armas
A fake engagement staged to repair a public image, set in a tiny town where everyone has opinions. The wedding planning gets realer than either of them intended, and so does the relationship.
- Unfortunately Yours by Tessa Bailey
Natalie needs a husband to unlock her trust fund; August needs a partner to save his winery. A marriage of convenience between two people who genuinely can't stand each other, with a courthouse wedding that turns out to be the least convenient thing either of them has ever done.
- Love Under Contract by Cassie Connor
A marriage that starts as a business arrangement and refuses to stay on paper. Funny and lighthearted, with the contract-marriage trope done with warmth.
And one thriller
- The Guest List by Lucy Foley
A glamorous wedding on a remote Irish island, told from the points of view of the bride, the plus-one, the best man, the bridesmaid, and the wedding planner. Then someone turns up dead. Not a rom-com, but the wedding planner's chapters alone made it impossible to leave off this list.
These are books I've actually read, with the star ratings from my own reading log. No sponsorships, no affiliate links, just my shelf. Ratings are on a five-star scale.
Mine adds a planner who controls every detail, the bride's big brother who thinks marriage is a business agreement, and one bed at the rehearsal dinner hotel.
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