Meh. A chance meeting turns to instant love. This reads like the thoughts of a teenager. :( A "magical" meeting at a coffee shop as two people try to avoid a wedding in progress.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to review this book and to be an early reader via NetGalley! However, I will not be writing a review for this title at this time, as my reading preferences have since changed somewhat. In the event that I decide to review the book in the future, I will make sure to purchase a copy for myself or borrow it from a library. Once again, thank you so much for providing me with early access to this title. I truly appreciate it. Please feel free to contact me with any follow-up questions or concerns.

It took me a looooooong time to read this and I am kicking myself for it because ugh, This. Book.

I'm no stranger to Therese's talent of creating intense emotions in her characters but every time I read her new stuff, I'll be like HOWWWW all over again. I love Angie and Ezra and how they danced around each other but at the same time teamed up to help each other face their fears?? And the whole "I can't be falling THIS hard for you already I just met you today" thing??? LOVE. IT.

No jokes this book played like a Hallmark movie in my head MAKE THIS INTO A CHRISTMAS MOVIE, HOLLYWOOD-

Who doesn’t love a Christmas wedding! I loved how this story is very diverse and is set in Africa, where one wouldn’t immediately think of a Christmas story being set. This was a fun, fast-paced story with plenty of representation and warm cozy Christmas feelings. I loved the plot and how strangers can fall in love within the magic of the holiday season.

A Wedding One Christmas, A Diverse, Emotional Romance by Therese Beharrie is holiday romance with deep emotional and personal exploration and growth. Recommend, especially for the character study.

Loved this! The South African setting was new to me and I loved the banter and humor while dealing with some big emotions.

I rarely put a book down once I really get into it. Unfortunately, I absolutely could not get into A Wedding One Christmas. It took me months to finish! The writing style was stilted, the descriptions were practically non existent and the plot was thin at best. I couldn't connect to either protagonist which is amazing because all they did was talk with each other and think about their problems. SO much dialogue and introspection without much action. Needless to say, this book was not for me.

**I received an ARC of this book in order to provide an honest review**

I Loved The banter in this,,
Its perfect for the holidays and i recommend it a lot. There are funny moments in this books and its set in South Africa ( imaginary travel ticket). A diverse character too. I bet some of you reading this would have experience somethings in this book if you have a fake partner just for the holidays.

Have fun with this one

A Wedding One Christmas, a short and sugary sweet Christmas novel set in Caledon, South Africa, was my introduction to romance author Therese Beharrie. Believe me, it’s a read that has officially made me a fan of Beharrie’s work!

On her way back home to Cape Town for the first time in a very long time, Angie makes a pit stop to kind of get back on track and steel her nerves for what’s set to be a stressful homecoming. But the town she stops in isn’t stress free. Due to one heck of a coincidence, it turns out that Angie is wearing the same dress – color and all – as the bridesmaids in a wedding in the area and everyone keeps trying to get Angie to take part in the darn thing.

That’s where Ezra Johnson comes in. A handsome professor who Angie conveniently finds lurking in a private booth in a café near the wedding, Ezra seems the perfect buffer not just from well-meaning (but nosy) wedding guests, but from Angie’s own memories. The thing is though, that Ezra has memories of his own and a really good reason (he thinks) for hiding in a café.

Over the course of the next twenty-four hours, Ezra and Angie kindle a fast-paced (and fast burning) romance and try to deal with the fact that rough spots in their pasts makes this a Christmas that they’re dreading.

A Wedding One Christmas is perfect for rom-com lovers, folks who’ve watched A Christmas Prince or The Princess Switch a thousand times on Netflix, and anyone that wants a gentle Christmas romance that deals with two people confronting their baggage, dealing with Christmas shenanigans, and finding love in the process.

Wonderful holiday read! I enjoyed the banter between the main characters and loved the South African setting.

This is quite possibly the WORST book I have ever read. Well I should say "almost read," because I could not even finishing reading it! It was that awful. The author's writing style is simply atrocious. I was lost by the first few pages of the first chapter! Essentially, the main character stops in a town at a cafe to grab a quick bite to eat, and she is mistaken for part of a wedding party since she is wearing an almost-identical dress to the bridesmaids. (The wedding is taking place in a church right next to the cafe.) I just summarized that in two sentences. The author took pages upon pages and still didn't clearly articulate that. The writing was just awful. Most of the first few chapters are the main character trying to evade wedding guests who are telling her to go take pictures with the rest of the bridesmaids; followed by meeting a man at the cafe; followed by the two of them taking a mini-hike together; followed by them joining a Christmas parade which is taking place next to the cafe (while the reception is going on!!). Really, where did the author come up with this stuff? A Christmas parade during a wedding reception? I had to stop there. I only read about 20% of the book because I could not stomach it anymore. The book is an insult to the intelligence of readers! Since I decided not to finish the book, I skimmed through the rest on my Kindle and it was not any better. The bad writing style continued. Do yourself a favor and SKIP this book!! If I could give it zero or negative stars I would!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own.

This South African-set book is an absolute confection, but there’s a surprisingly rich and satisfying center beneath all the froth and frosting on top. Beharrie begins with a classic romance set-up: two strangers meet by chance at a wedding they have complicated feelings about. Angie is a romance writer still working through her grief about her father’s death years ago (just @ me next time, why don’t you) and Ezra is a newly heartbroken women’s studies professor (who never mansplains feminism to the heroine, thankfully) struggling to get perspective on the mistakes of relationships past. They are two people running headlong from their own pain and vulnerabilities, all of which get knotted up when they crash into one another. Like Christmas lights in a box in the garage. By the time they untangle all the separate strings, they’ve had time to start to heal and get their souls in order. And also experience the sheer, breathtaking horror conjured up by the phrase volunteer ad-libbed Nativity play.
Reader, it was appalling and hilarious and absolutely delicious.
Therese Beharrie’s buoyant voice moves like quicksilver, trading flirty banter for sharp, painful flashes of realization in an instant. It keeps the reader feeling comfortingly weightless even as she lands on truly profound questions: where is the line between independence and loneliness? Between wants and needs? How do you give yourself up to passion and generosity without sacrificing too much or leaving yourself hollow and empty? These are not problems quickly solved, as the book well knows. The story takes place in a single day but gives our hero and heroine plenty of scope for chemistry, for confrontation, and for communication. Like a stage play — or a ghostly holiday tale — where the emotional ground covered is far more extensive than the chronological space would appear to allow. Sure, it’s been one day in book time — but we’ve been there with these two for all of it. We know who they are by now, so it’s natural to believe they know each other well enough to fall a little bit in love. Sweet but not saccharine, heavy on the romance but super-light on the sex, this is one thoughtful holiday romance you won’t want to miss.

I haven’t read Ms. Beharrie before, though I’d seen her books recommended frequently. Well, after reading this book, I’ve definitely put the rest of her backlist on my TBR! This is, in my mind, an example of a perfect holiday romance. It’s cozy, but not without angst, and it delves into some of the important themes surrounding the holidays. It’s also a rom-com over the course of one day, including crashing a wedding, a turn in a Christmas parade as Santa and Mrs. Claus, and an impromptu nativity play.

Angie is returning home to Cape Town for the holidays after several years out of the country when she stops at a small town on the way. Hilariously, though, she’s mistaken for a bridesmaid, and to get away from some persistent wedding guests, she talks another non-guest into pretending to be her boyfriend. Ezra’s also on his way back home to his family after some time away, and initially Angie is a funny distraction. As they talk, though, and their reasons for both stopping in this small town come out, it becomes clear that while they may be complete strangers, they may also be very, very good for each other. Is there more there to build on than just a mutual dislike of weddings?

She’d known him for all of a few hours and yet somehow, she steadied him. Despite the fact that she forced him to be honest—that she made him see things about himself he hadn’t before—she steadied him. Even though she put a spotlight on all the issues he wanted to avoid, preventing him from keeping them in the dark, she steadied him.


It’s hard to say too much about the characters’ motivations without being spoilerly, as the build up to finding out what’s brought each of them to this town is part of the tension of the novel, and it works beautifully. [It’s been three years since Angie’s father died, and she hasn’t been home since. Her parents were extremely co-dependent, so much so that it was her job to take care of her two younger sisters, and her father’s job to take care of her mother. After her father’s death, She was afraid that she’d have to play both roles after her father died, so she ran. More than that, she’s afraid to get involved in a relationship for fear of becoming like her mother, completely dependent on that other person and broken without them. Her parents got married at Christmas in the small town she’s stopped at, and so she’s dealing with the morass of emotions about her father’s death, her parents’ codependency, and her guilt for leaving them for a job out of the country. Ezra’s afraid of weddings, though he’s chosen to stop in the cafe near the wedding of two of his students. He left his family to move to be with his girlfriend, though when he at least decided to ask her to marry him, she rebuffed him, citing that she thought they hadn’t had that sort of relationship. Now he’s embarrassed to go back to his family with his tail tucked between his legs. What I loved about this book was watching Angie and Ezra open up to each other – it is, after all, easier to talk to strangers sometimes about difficult things. They were also quite willing to call each other on their crap when they’re not being honesty with each other, or with themselves.

The silence that followed seemed heavy with what they weren’t saying, and he blurted out, ‘Why romance?’ She blinked. Adjusting to the abrupt change in topic, he thought.
‘Probably the happily-ever-afters.’ Her expression was pensive. ‘That I can control it.’
‘Oh. That’s not what I was expecting.’
She laughed softly. ‘Wouldn’t you hand out happily-ever-afters if you could?’
‘No, I meant being able to control it.’
‘Life is unpredictable,’ she replied after a pause. ‘I guess it’s appealing to me. The idea that I can give people happy endings when that’s not what happens in real life. Oh, no, wait,’ she said, her eyes wide, ‘that’s not what I meant.’


Besides the epilogue, the entire book happens in twenty-four hours in the same small town. It’s all set amongst some almost comedy of errors holiday goodness, from getting roped in to playing Santa and Mrs. Claus for a float for the town parade, to wandering a Christmas market, to playing Mary during an ad lib nativity play (with drunk wedding guests). There was something magical about the juxtaposition of small town holiday cheer with the deep subjects that Angie and Ezra were baring their souls over. There’s a lot about grief, trauma, and heartache, but I felt like it was handled well and very authentically. Honestly, the mix of emotions made it extremely hard for me to put the book down.

Overall, I very much enjoyed this book. While it’s not a traditional happy-go-lucky Christmas story, it’s heartwarming in its own way, and I would definitely recommend it!

I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

This novel is basically one big Hallmark Christmas movie in novel form. It’s got all the elements of a cozy, romance story which I enjoyed, but in the end the story fell flat because of the characters which I couldn’t connect to.

On a trip back to Cape Town for the holidays, Erza and Angie meet in a small cafe. Both are struggling with their pasts as they are returning home for a long period of time; Erza is reeling over a failed engagement and Angie is still dealing how she left her family to teach in South Korea after her father’s death. Upon meeting each other the two hit things off right away and develop a deeper connection with one another as they help each other to heal from past mistakes and to move towards the future.

All the while, Erza and Angie get pulled into random situations (just like a romantic comedy movie) such as a local Christmas parade, wedding reception, and so much more. It turns out to be a lot of fun for the two and it temporarily helps them to escape from their problems.

I appreciated that the novel doe discuss a variety of topics such as heartbreak, finding yourself, coping with loosing a loved one, feminism, and much more. It was nice to see the two have such deep conversations with each other even though they just met. For some reason I did feel Erza and Angie were a bit bland for romantic leads, but in the end they still make a cute couple.

This meet cute novel is fun read for the holiday season, if you’re looking for a book that is lighthearted with a happily ever after.

If I had to use one word to describe A Wedding One Christmas by Therese Beharrie it would be 'gentle.' Set in South Africa, it's the sweet and introspective tale of two people who meet by fate or happenstance one day a few weeks before Christmas. It's a day that will change both their lives for the better.

Angie Roux is returning to Cape Town after being away from home teaching in Korea for the last three years. She'd left abruptly when her father died, unable to deal with the grief and the burden of responsibilities expected of her. On a whim, she stops at Caledon where she was born and where some of her happy memories abide. There's a roadside cafe and chapel and she soon finds herself swept up in a wedding celebration where she constantly gets mistaken as a bridesmaid due to her similar outfit. Seeking refuge from the exuberant crowd, she finds a gentleman seated alone in the cafe and plunks herself down with him to recoup.

Ezra Johnson is hiding out from the wedding, though his circumstances are a little different than Angie's. In fact, he's an invited guest, the couple in question being former students of his. He's a lecturer in women's studies, returning to his childhood home of Cape Town for a new position. But Ezra has an aversion to weddings, having been jilted by his girlfriend when he proposed several months earlier. He's not even sure why he showed up. As Ezra and Angie get to know each other, they also end up participating in some of the more fun events of the day, at one point having to pretend they're in a fake relationship too. When the day is over, will Ezra and Angie go their separate ways, or find themselves willing to see what their futures hold together?

There's a lot that goes on in this one day! Caledon is having their Christmas parade so some of the story involves Angie and Ezra getting involved with the floats and the parade, in between wedding festivities. There are several laugh out loud moments of dialogue between Ezra and Angie, and this story has equal amounts of conversation between the main characters as there are moments of self reflection and analysis. This can make it seem a bit slow at times so I think it's one where you have to be in the mood for the kind of soul searching and discussion that goes on.

Angie and Ezra have both avoided home for reasons that they are willing to share with each other. Sometimes it is easier to open up to complete strangers knowing they won't judge you and they take advantage of this opportunity. Angie's mother always needed extra emotional care that her husband (Angie's father) provided, leaving Angie to raise her younger sisters. When her father died, Angie couldn't cope with having to take care of her mother too. But it's time for her to come to terms with her father's death and find a way to rekindle the relationships with her remaining family that she left behind. Ezra knew that his family didn't approve of his girlfriend, yet he still chose her and moved away. Then when she rejected his marriage offer he was ashamed to return home. He also knows it's time to face his family again. Together they find that unburdening themselves gives them the strength to face the future.

The attraction between them starts from their first eye contact and doesn't let up over the course of the day. It eventually leads to some heavy kisses and 'second base' contact. By evening things have progressed far enough for them to start thinking about whether what they are experiencing is a sweet but isolated event or something they should pursue. No worries, there's a happy ending to this story, complete with a lovely epilogue. One thing I did notice is that while both characters are black (the paragraph where Ezra is introduced says 'Smooth brown skin stretched over the angular features of his face.'), the cover has a black female and a white male. I'm surprised that a black couple was not featured on the cover. Nevertheless, A Wedding One Christmas is an appealing romance with a unique setting and characters who find joy and purpose in an unexpected encounter.


This review will be posted at All About Romance and feedback updated with the link.

Angie lost me in the first few pages hiding like she was from the wedding guests. I just couldn’t take her seriously. I found the story boring and I didn’t like the hero either.

This is my second book by this author and just like the first one, I found it very enjoyable and lovely, overall. This one is, as you can guess by the title, a Christmas romance and as such it's full of feels and holidays spirit.

The hero and heroine are two people running from their past who meet by chance at a Christmas wedding and form a strong connection based on sharing secrets they haven't told anyone about before.

This is s quiet, introverted story, very much focused on inner conflict. I have to admit it felt a bit heavy at times - the guilt and self-recriminations both MCs feel are not easy to swallow but they both need to work through their emotions before trying to be with someone, start something romantically. There was lots and lots of inner turmoil and I had to put down the book a few times but it was fitting for characters. They are two ordinary people, albeit rather sensitive and caring about the others, who carry a lot of baggage from their past mistakes. WE see them trying to stay optimistic, to take a chance and trust their hearts and go after that HEA they both want so much.

The story has the loveliest, epilogues, one full of holidays warmth and happiness.

3 1/2 STARS!

Finding love when they least expect it! A delightfully sweet connection between two wayward souls leads to more than they ever bargained for. The chemistry between this couple is there from the start as we follow them throughout one day together. It's a fun premise to a story, but it really drug too much for my liking. The background and turmoil of each of their recent lives laid the groundwork for a story full of strife and drama, but the continual going over of the same feelings and expectations left a good bit of possibilities on the table instead of being developed. I was left wanting more to keep the storyline moving throughout, but with a satisfying conclusion in the end.

Angie Roux should have resisted temptation to stop at a family memory in Caledon, South Africa on her way home for her first holiday get-together in a few years. She's dragging her feet because she knows chastisement and hurt probably await her in Cape Town, so a small side-trip won't hurt. If only she had known she'd be mistaken as a bridesmaid in an on-going wedding and made to seek the aid of a stranger in the local cafe in order to diffuse the case of mistaken identity!

Ezra Johnson is enchanted with Angie from the moment she encroaches on his space and begins to tell her tale. He's just passing through as well, but he can't help but think he was placed in this cafe at this particular time for a reason. He's not looking for a future, but it looks like fate might have just stepped in and found him one none-the-less!

I’m actually going to start this review by starting about reading diversely, and how we all should be doing it. And by that, I mean that you don’t necessarily have to read out of your comfort zone. If you read light and fluffy romance and you get the cold shakes at reading something deep and painful and meaningful, you don’t have to go read The Color Purple or The Hate U Give just to read books by diverse authors. It’s okay. Trust me. You’re still covered.

And if contemporary romance featuring real characters with exactly the same kind of personality flaws and personal life challenges as you and people just like you face is your jam, but those people just happen to be Black, then you should absolutely be reading Therese Beharrie.

Angie hasn’t dealt with the death of her father three years ago. Taking off immediately for a job teaching English in Korea, she’s delayed her return to Cape Town and her dependent, needy mother and younger sisters long enough. Taking that last step is proving a difficult one, though, so making one last stop in the town where she has a great many memories is just another way to put off the inevitable. Stumbling into the middle of a wedding and immediately being mistaken for one of the bridal party? Not something she’s ready to deal with.

Enter Ezra, apparently the only man in town NOT there for the wedding. He’s gentleman enough to answer Angie’s hopeful plea for a rescue from wedding hell, but he’s got his own demons… and his own reasons for being in Caledon on that precise day.

The two of them strike sparks straight away. Angie challenges Ezra, doesn’t let him get away with any assumptions, and in return refuses to let her continue to hide from what she’s been avoiding facing for too long. Together, they have a fun, incredible day, ranging from taking part in a Christmas parade to a hilarious ad-lib Nativity play, ending with some passionate but not quite complete encounters, and a morning after where both of them have to look deep into their own hearts and find the courage to take the next step.

There was only one thing that set my teeth on edge in this book - well, two, but they were part of the same issue. Ezra is a lecturer in Women’s Studies, and though I freely admit I know nothing about the field, a man in that job seems like the literal pinnacle of mansplaining, and considering Angie called him on mansplaining other things, I was a bit surprised she didn’t make that jab. It seemed it would have been in character for her to do that. At least she tore him a new one on the other issue I had, his contempt for those who read and write romance novels, and surely if any man should know better, it’s one who’s a lecturer in Women’s Studies!

Even so, that minor issue certainly didn’t inhibit my enjoyment of this fun, charming, poignant story of two people falling deeply and genuinely in love, which is what is at the core of this story. The fact that they don’t share my skin color? Completely irrelevant. Their love story is what shone through, and the reason why I’m happy to give this charming book five stars.

Title: A Wedding One Christmas
Author: Therese Beharrie
Publisher: Carina Press
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Four
Review:

"A Wedding One Christmas" by Therese Beharrie

My Thoughts.....

This was a good read of how a hero and heroine who had their own demons came together to over come them while helping one another heal. The author really gives the reader quite a interesting story that deals with a good 'dialogue banter, humor, beautiful couple and a wonderful holiday...Christmas.' 'A Wedding One Christmas' will really get the reader ready for this holiday. I loved how this story starts "with Angie continuously being mistaken for a bridesmaid, because she's wearing a dress similar to what the bridesmaid are wearing." What will happen when "Angie seeks Ezra's help to flee the wedding party since they are under the misconception that she is a bridesmaid?"

It was wonderful how these two Angie and Ezra were able to converse so well together in this romantic read. In the end one can see how well Angie and Ezra were perfect for each other. So, what will happen as "Angie is returning home for the first time in years since her father’s death and Ezra is teacher, returning after a failed 7-year relations?" Well, to found out how this story will turn out you will have to pick up this well written sweet romance read to see how well this author brings it out so well to the readers. It will be a beautiful story of 'personal growth that will be surrounded by humor and some hot chemistry' and definitely by the end of this story one will be left with that 'warm and fuzzy feeling.'

Thank you to NetGallery and Carina Press for the read.