I'd heard a lot of buzz about this book--author Jasmine Guillory was on both the Wicked Wallflowers Club and Smart Podcast, Trashy Books podcasts, two listens that bumped her book way up on my TBR. Happily, it did not disappoint! Alexa and Drew's story is flirty and fun, with characters who really feel as if they're good friends of the reader by the end of the book.

From their meet cute in an elevator to their fake-for-a-weekend relationship to their real relationship, this book kept me hooked. Though most of their relationship issues could have been resolved with some good, solid conversation, Ms. Guillory makes their reluctance to do so believable (the long distance nature of their relationship, Alexa's unfortunate recall of Drew's initial words about him and relationships, Drew's dating history). Drew's grand gesture makes everything that went before worth it, and the epilogue is beyond cute. I'll definitely be looking for more from this author :)

Rating: 4 stars / B+

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

I was extremely entertained by this romantic comedy from Jasmine Guillory. The characters were engaging and interesting. There is definitely a "meet-cute" moment. The dialogue, inner and spoken, as well as the texting is crisp and clever. I really appreciated that Ms. Guillory created characters that were three dimensional. They have careers, they have flaws and insecurities. They make mistakes and often get in their own way. I think this novel is considered multi-cultural, and I felt that the subjects of racism and privilege were addressed respectfully and at times served as a little bit of an eye-opener. If I had one criticism it would be the dual points of view - they suited the subject, it just isnt a technique I enjoy.
I would definitely read more from Jasmine Guillory.

Aw, man.

This book is getting so much buzz, and I was DELIGHTED to get an ARC. I couldn't wait to dive in. I read it really quickly, but I found it a bit disappointing. The beginning sucked me in. It was so fun and different and enjoyable. I really liked the characters at the beginning and found the interracial relationship an interesting element. The ending was also decent. The middle felt repetitive and underdeveloped and I wanted more. More character development, more maturity from these characters, more focus on them and less on what they were eating. At the end of the book, I felt like I still didn't know the characters (I do know what kind of doughnuts they like, though), though with what I do know of them, I didn’t really buy their relationship. Maybe because I don’t like Drew. He is supposedly in love with Alexa but keeps thinking about other women and is jealous, petty, and an all around jackass. Or maybe it’s more that I didn’t care about their relationship. Make me care!

There is weirdly a lot of: them eating junk food, him putting her arm around her waist, him doing stuff to her boobs. It got boring.

I also felt like it couldn't decide if it was going to go Full Smut or Just Imply. It walked a line that didn't work for me. It was inconsistent throughout the book and the writing was sloppy and resulted in confusion about what was happening. In the sex scenes but also there were several places throughout the book where I had to stop and reread because the writing wasn't clear and I thought I'd misunderstood something. There was a lot of telling and not a lot of showing, and it made for some stilted dialogue, among other things.

I guess overall this feels somewhat underdeveloped, but still enjoyable if you don't think too hard about it. Maybe pick it up for a beach read?

This book will hit the spot for anyone craving romance with just a little more substance.

Short but sweet, but in the end, didn’t really stand out that much.

My review of the book was posted on January 30, 2018 and can be found here: http://dearauthor.com/book-reviews/overall-b-reviews/b-plus-reviews/review-x-2-the-wedding-date-by-jasmine-guillory/

When Alexa Moore finds herself trapped in an elevator with Drew Nichols, she never thought she’d end up being his date to the wedding of his ex and one of his best friends. Drew can’t believe that Alexa has saved his bacon by agreeing to be his date to this wedding. It’s not that he still has feelings for the bride, it’s that he knows if he goes without a date, everyone will assume he does and he doesn’t want to do anything to ruin the day. But spending the day with Alexa just intrigues him and the night that follows just makes him want more. What was supposed to be an easy date turns into a long-distance relationship trying to see each other on the weekends. But the more they see of each other, the more they want to be together. Can a long-distance relationship turn into forever?



I adored The Wedding Date!!! From the moment Alexa and Drew started flirting in the elevator I was hooked. And when they started their long-distance relationship, I was drawn into their story even more. I’ve never had the pleasure of reading Jasmine Guillroy and I’ve been missing out! I love finding a new author so I was given a double treat, a story I loved and a new author to read!

I really wanted to like this, but I just couldn't get into it.

This arc was provided to me for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 Stars

You know those kinds of books that are just cute and fill you with fluff? That's what this did, it takes a trope (the whole let's pretend we are dating) that I love and made it into a fun book.

The love between the two characters was cheesy, two career-oriented individuals fall for each other after a chance meeting. I appreciate when a book takes two people and creates an actual background for its characters. Alexa and Drew both had their own lives before and after they met, it wasn't just solely based on their relationship. And that is how it is done in real life.

I am not usually one who reads a bunch of cheesy books, but when I do I love them. Sometimes you just need that cheesy romance that genuinely makes you laugh. If you enjoy a cute fluffy book that makes your heart melt than this book is totally for you.

Review written by Marie for Ever After Book Reviews!

Okay, that’s it. I’m carrying cheese, crackers and wine with me on every single elevator I’m on! Especially if I can meet a hot doctor named Drew who treats me as well as he does Alexa. Wait. I think I’m getting ahead of myself. Let me back up.

So… Alexa is visiting her sister in a hotel in San Francisco. She’s on the elevator with a guy who is… gorgeous… and the elevator stops. They’re stuck. Conversation begins, and it’s discovered that he’s going to his ex’s wedding to his best friend, dateless, and Alexa divulges that she’s got cheese, crackers and wine for a celebration with her sister. (This is where they come in!) They share the libations, and flirt with one another (adorably), and Drew asks her in a rom-com sort of way if she’ll be his fake girlfriend for the wedding. She agrees, and from there, hilarity ensues.

After the wedding weekend, Alexa and Drew can’t stop thinking about one another, so they continue to fly back and forth between Los Angeles and Berkley to spend weekends with one another. Their relationship is so cute, I can’t stand it, and Drew is… well… nearly perfect. But when the long distance/commitment thing starts to wear on and intimidate them, they both have to start making some tough decisions that neither one of them is prepared for.

OMG. I wasn’t expecting to fall in love with this book as much as I did, but I couldn’t put it down. Literally, couldn’t put it down. It was fabulously written. It’s funny, heart-felt, romantic, sweet… and it touches on so many emotions that every one of us has felt at one time or another. I know that it’s a stand-alone book with only one storyline that wraps up nicely, but I wish there were so much more in store for Drew and Alexa. I truly do!

If you’re looking for something fun to read, pick this book up. You will be SO happy that you did!

I received an eARC of this book via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.

When I picked up The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory, I was expecting a sweet, contemporary romance set over the course of a whirlwind weekend. I based that assumption off the title, having skimmed the blurb. Imagine my disappointment when the wedding date was only the first 20% of the book. Despite this disappointment, there were other factors that detracted from my ability to like the story. But before I get into those, here are the things I really liked about the book:

• Interracial couple: Alexa is black and Drew is white (hence the cover 😉)
• Meet during a power outage on an elevator – seriously this was a cute, flirty scene.
• The texting – cue goofy grin while reading
• Drew needs a date to his ex’s wedding and takes the girl he just met in an elevator.
• Body image and beauty standards discussed at length – Alexa is a big girl so doesn’t fit into the norm.
• Both MCs have jobs that they enjoy (Drew is a pediatric surgeon, Alexa works at the mayor’s office.)
• Dual POVs

Other reviewers are describing this book as “cute” and “charming,” and I guess that fits. Alexa is visiting her sister in her hotel room when she gets stuck in an elevator with Drew. The two strike up a conversation, and by the time the elevator begins moving again, she has a date with Drew to his ex’s wedding. Thinking she will never see this guy again, she throws caution to the wind and does things she wouldn’t normally do, like actually go to the wedding and pretend to be Drew’s girlfriend.

I liked and disliked Alexa. She’s a strong, independent woman who is living her dream working for the mayor. But she has a lot of self-esteem issues. She doesn’t think someone like Drew would like her or think her beautiful. She’s a big, curvy girl, but so am I and I know that while I don’t see myself as beautiful, my husband does. Instead of trusting Drew, she really lets her insecurities take over and I found that annoying.

Drew is not the ideal main love interest in my opinion. About the only thing I found swoon-worthy was his interactions with his patients (remember he’s a pediatric surgeon). There is just something sexy about a man who gets on a child’s level and brightens that child’s day. But I digress, Drew is the epitome of playboys. He “doesn’t date” and likes to keep things casual. He’s so hung up on keeping things casual and worrying about ruining a good thing that he plays into Alexa’s insecurities.

This story really revolves around how Drew and Alexa handle a long-distance relationship/fling and if it will continue. I really struggled to enjoy this book after the initial wedding date. I thought they both acted immaturely (remember these are characters that are my age – late twenties, early thirties). It felt repetitive and I really struggled during the last half of the book to finish it.

Overall The Wedding Date is a cute story bordering on corny at times. I thought it was an okay read. I liked aspects and disliked others equally making it hard to decide how I should rate it. The sex scenes were plentiful but for the most part faded to black without crossing over into erotica. If you enjoy contemporary romance, you may like this one. It just wasn’t for me.

After hearing all the hype for this debut novel, I was excited to read it. I loved the cover art and the book started with such potential then fell flat for me. The whole book was a bad cliche. It was a bit too much eating, drinking, and sex (especially the whole middle of the book). I wanted to love it but I didn't really. Thanks to Net Galley for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest opinion.

DNF - I'm not a "just met you - attracted to you - fall in bed with you" fan. The story was cute and the characters likeable enough that I got beyond that aspect of the story. What I could not get beyond and what drove me crazy while reading this book was the insecurity Alexa and Drew both had. It seemed to me so out of character. You have 2 late twenties high achieving adults! I would think they would be a lot more confident in who they are. After their night together I told myself - one more bit of insecurity and I'll stop reading. I stopped.

The Wedding Date was a book I wanted so much to love, and I will say, for the first 20 or 30 percent, it was pretty good. It was fun and flirty and cutesy and sweet. There really was a lot to enjoy about the beginning. But overall that’s precisely what was wrong with it for me - I enjoyed it while I was reading it, but I had no problem putting it down, no draw to pick it up when I wasn’t reading it. The scenes at the beginning of this book with the wedding were by far the best. Alexa and Drew in the elevator was absolutely adorable, meeting Drew’s friends and acquaintances was hilarious, and seeing Drew and Alexa being more and more into each other was something I loved seeing. Then the wedding was over, and so was all the goodness.

There was a huge disconnect from who Alexa was in her career with who she was as a person. And I can buy that to a certain extent, but she was a go-getter and very vocal at her job, but she never stood up for herself or was honest with Drew about wanting more. I liked Alexa’s drive at work and her desire to help other people, but she fell super flat for me when she judged Drew’s friend Carlos for driving a red sports car. Gasp The horror! There was just a lot of inner dialogue leading up to that scene, and it was a huge turn off. To be fair, Drew wasn’t vocal about things he wanted from Alexa, either, but it didn’t feel as much of a disconnect with him because I felt like the demands of his job were different. Also, the conversations between Carlos and Drew felt more new adult than adult, and again, it was something that just didn’t work for me.

And possibly the biggest letdown for me - for an author what didn’t want to write a sexy graphic sex scene, there was a lot of sex in this book that, pardon the pun, made it all feel pretty anticlimactic. It pretty much alternated between banging and eating, and in the end, I felt like Alexa was just too immature to be in an adult relationship. Running out after spending the night with Drew and saying you’d stay and talk things out doesn’t scream adult relationship to me. I would have loved this book more if Drew had let Alexa go and moved on. Overall, The Wedding Date was a huge letdown and I won’t be reading the next one in the series.

The idea of a guy and girl getting stuck in an elevator sounded a bit cliche for me, but I'm so glad I kept going. This book showed a full relationship between the two main characters. The reader is able to see into each person's perspective, which at time makes you want to throttle someone, but in the end really allows you to see the growth an development of each character. I enjoyed the book.

This book is perfection. I needed a delightful plane read and this book gave me everything I needed.

I've been hearing such great things about this book from damn near everyone so I wanted to read this book something fierce. I was ready for a diverse romance between two perfect strangers that meet in an elevator. Sadly, this book didn't live up to the hype and I finished this book rather disappointed in the overall reading experience.

So this book features Ms. Alexa Monroe and Dr. Drew Nichols as they meet, become friends, fall in love and then ride off into the sunset together to live happily ever after. Their adventure in love isn't easy but in the end, they get it right and that's that.

Alexa's sister is in town and Alexa is meeting her at her hotel room to celebrate Olivia's good work fortune and she runs into Drew Nichols on the elevator. When their elevator gets stuck, they get to know each other. Drew is in town for his friend's wedding...to his ex-girlfriend and he's dreading everything. The rehearsal dinner. The wedding ceremony. The wedding reception. Because of course, he's <em>in</em> the wedding and he has to be at all of these functions. Spilling everything to this beautiful stranger in the elevator gets everything out in the open and nobody is more surprised than he is when he invites this beautiful stranger to be his date for all of it. He's even more surprised when she agrees.

The wedding jump starts the romance between Drew and Alexa. It was a lot of fun when they were just having fun but the fun can only last so long. I enjoyed the book up until things started getting serious between these two and I think a huge chunk of my disappoint stemmed from how immature both Drew and Alexa were when things got tough. It was disappointing because they both held positions of power in their career fields (he was a doctor and she was chief of staff for the Mayor of Berkeley) and yet they lashed out like little children over things they should have been adults about.

I wasn't a fan of the way that Alexa handled the whole 4th of July BBQ thing because 1) Drew technically didn't do anything to her yet, 2) They never defined their relationship and 3) She never told Drew how she felt about him so for her to get mad and then string Drew into a fight so that she can have a reason to be pissed at him over was not a good look for her.

I also wasn't a fan of the way that Drew treated his best friend Carlos. He lashed out at Carlos like Carlos was his little bitch over things that had nothing to do with Carlos. I get that they're best friends but if my best friend talked and lashed out at me the way that Drew did to Carlos? We'd be fighting and I'd be wondering why I had such shitty friends.

Overall, there was a lot of potential here but it didn't work for me and by the end of the book, I was just glad to be finished with it. Oh well. I had high hopes and the beginning starts off great but as the story picked up steam, my hopes fell and disappointment was left.

<strong>Grade: 2 out of 5</strong>

I received this title as an ARC from NetGalley. Thank you so much!

The Wedding Date is such a sweet, charming romance. From Alexa's first interactions with Drew in the trapped elevator to their fake date and the real dates that follow, this entire love story is adorable. I like both of the protagonists. Alexa is amazing: I've never read a novel with a mayor's chief of staff as the protagonist before, and I spent so much of the book cheering for her city youth art program. Drew's both flawed and genuinely likable, and both Alexa's and Drew's friends provide much-needed insight (and occasionally voice their frustration with the pair). I like that the book doesn't shy away from potential issues: privilege, racism, and body image are all addressed. Drew and Alexa do struggle to communicate sometimes, and that makes the middle slow down a bit, but their dialogue still feels realistic.

I also really appreciate all of the good food in this novel. Tacos, donuts, waffles, cheese, crackers...

This was definitely a fun February read.

I was so excited for this one. After all, everyone loves a good contemporary romance and the synopsis was fun and who doesn’t love the fake date to true love trope? I know I do. So I couldn’t wait for this one and was super excited to be approved for the eARC. I waited all the way until December to start it and the beginning was actually super cute. I was hooked from the elevator moments all the way through the wedding. But then something changed and I just didn’t love it anymore. It was cute overall and the moments Alexa and Drew spent together were good but when they were apart, I couldn’t really stand them anymore. And the lack of true communication really frustrated me. Still, this was a cute romance and one I’d recommend, with a few reservations.

I actually really liked both of the characters and I liked when they were together and alone before they started seeing each other. I liked that they both had careers that they loved and were successful and happy in their careers. But the parts when they were separated drove me crazy. There was so much unnecessary back and forth about their feelings and not telling the other person how they really felt and then finally talking and having a stupid fight because of some misunderstanding drove me crazy. It might be a completely realistic approach to adult dating relationships but the fact that they never have any discussion about their relationship or what they’re doing but instead just decide to travel and see each other every single weekend since they meet was just confusing to me. How could you not talk about that? It’s just hard for me to love a book when almost every single problem the couple faces could have been avoided if they’d just communicated like adults. Even if a relationship starts out without any promise of a future or is just some hookup thing, does it not stand to reason that after flying to see each other for three weekends in a row, that maybe both characters have feelings for each other and maybe someone could ask what the status of their maybe relationship might be?!?! It was super frustrating. But I did love when they were together and how much they supported each other in both their successes and their struggles. And also, they eat A LOT. Like all the time. Which is realistic because people eat all the time but kind of weird to read about. I think the word donuts must be in there about 100 times. (Also, apparently Drew has a nut allergy but has no problem eating at bakeries and all kinds of donuts? Which, based on having a kid with a peanut allergy, does not seem realistic at all.) I don’t know why that made such an impression on me but you rarely read a book where they discuss every single meal they’re eating.

Anyway, this is definitely a book you should keep your eyes open for if you’re a fan of cute, light, swoony romances. I think a lot of people will love this one. Especially since this one has an interracial couple and two people in high powered positions where they’re both supported and their jobs never become an issue between them. It was definitely a refreshing read in the world of romance but I still wish they had talked more and avoided some of their stupid fights. I really wish I had loved everything about this book more because there is so much potential in a relationship like this and the synopsis. But overall, while it was cute, I thought it was only ok.

DNF @ I don’t even know

This debut contemporary romance has a glowing recommendation from none other than Roxanne Gay on the very front of this cover. I had such high hopes for this mold breaker of a romance novel that includes an interracial couple but there wasn’t even enough of a spark for me to want to see how everything played out. It all starts with a somewhat cliché meeting in a broken down elevator where the duo strikes up a stilted and awkward conversation which leads to him asking her to be his date at a wedding. First things first, there was zero chemistry. No spark. None. I didn’t particularly care for either character but I certainly didn’t care for Drew after my first impression of him.

“Don’t look at me like that! I’m not a girlfriend kind of guy! And when I could tell that she might want something more serious, I ended it.”

Ohhh. Yay. A real charmer.

And I can understand that Alexa’s continued lack of self-confidence was supposed to be something that a normal woman could sympathize with but it was so constant even in the short amount that I read that it was distracting to the actual story.

‘…she was almost distracted enough not to wonder if he could detect the Spanx underneath her dress. Almost.”

See, she’s even distracted.

“Oh, and don’t forget! The hashtag is #jollymosh.” Molly smiled and glided away.

If I ever actually get married, someone please shoot me if I ever have a hashtag for my damn wedding. Especially one as terrible as that.

Warning, bout to get vicious. Bottom line? The writing was stilted and simple, the characters lacked any sort of complexity and originality, despite including an interracial couple Guillory was far from breaking any sort of mold, and even the whole reason for the story, the romance, fell completely flat and wasn’t anything to swoon over. Some serious steam can result in (literary) elevators, but you won’t find that here. Check out The Hating Game for one particularly great elevator scene and Hearts in Darkness for what you’d hoped Alexa and Drew’s elevator meeting would have been like.