Thank you to Berkley Publishing and Netgalley for my digital advance review copy.

Meddy and her aunties are back and in action, and this time, Meddy is getting married! Meddy is already dealing with the pressures of planning a wedding and the stress associated with the joining of Nathan's traditional, conservative family with her spirited and unique family. On the night before her wedding, Meddy overhears someone talking about executing a hit at the ceremony. Panicked, she turns to her Ma and aunties, who quickly rally around her to stop the culprit from ruining Meddy's dream wedding.

This was another fun installment in Sutanto's Aunties series, and just like in the first book, Meddy and her aunties find themselves in ridiculous situation with hilarious outcomes. I did enjoy reading about Meddy and her aunties again, but I found this one to be much more over the top than the first book, maybe unrealistically so. It stressed me out to read about how Meddy's wedding was on the brink of tanking, and I didn't like the way that she handled the situation with Nathan. There were some funny moments, but it just all felt kind of forced.

I will most likely pick up the next one in this series, as I do really like Sutanto's characters. I hope that the next book is a little more realistic and less outrageous than this one.

Four aunties:

“You’d be surprised at the atrocities old women are capable of.”

Move over Three Men and a Baby. I’m only concerned for Four Aunties and a Wedding. Y’all know I loved Dial A for Aunites last year. The aunties were such a light spot during a really crappy week. They had me cackling and feeling all the love. So naturally, I was jumping when I found out I won a giveaway from @berkley for Four Aunties and a Wedding.

The Aunties had me cackling in true Auntie form. From Tai Chi and speeches at the wedding, I felt their slack stick comedy really was turned up a notch (in the best way) this sophomore season. I loved that they were also believed to be mafia, which is the best misunderstanding in the entire book. However, I also love that they are true to themselves, and we accept them for who they are. The conversation with Annie and what she says to them, I mean, I was ready to throw down for MY aunties, ya know? But, I totally understand Meddy right there in that moment and all her emotions. I’ve been there. That hit me in the best way.

I will forever read anything Jesse Sutanto writes, which also includes all her thrillers. I loved Four Aunties just as much as I loved Dial A. Thank you so much Berkley for the gifted copy. Four Aunties and a Wedding is out 3/29!

I have been so excited about the new Aunties book and was giddy to get my hands on Four Aunties and a Wedding. This installment picks up when Meddy and Nathan are getting married and Meddy’s mom and the Aunties get mixed up in all kinds of nonsense, including mafia and murder, and of course, hilarity ensues. The miscommunications, the slapstick comedy, the over the top behavior are all back. The laugh out loud zingers are all over this book and yet it still has the same message of the true love and unparalleled support of family. Hugs, laughs, and guffaws. This is just such a fun series. Can we make it into a movie??? Pub day is tomorrow!!!

The Four Aunties and Meddy have done it again! Looking for a hilarious, ridiculous, over the top book look no further!

Oh how happy I was to be back with the Aunties and Meddy! One of my most anticipated books of the year and thankfully, it didn’t disappoint!
A fun cozy mystery that was so much fun. I can’t wait for the next installment of the Meddy/Nathan and Aunties story. If the rumors are true and this is being made into a Netflix series, I will be first to watch.
In the first book, we meet Meddy and her four totally unconventional but totally protective and loving Aunties and Mom and we see how they stick together when a real jerk crosses the wrong girl and her family and Nathan finally proposed. Carrying on from there, we see Neddy and the family planning the wedding including dress shopping (just wait til you get a vision of the Komodo dragon hats and bright purple outfits the Aunties turn up in! and meeting with vendors to plan the wedding. Since Nathan & his family are posh, the Aunties decide to learn to speak with British accents “cheerio! Pip pip!” What could go wrong?! Well, just about everything! The vendors aren’t who they say they are, and we find out that they are in fact, mafia, with a score to settle and plans to do it at Meddy and Nathan’s wedding, so the Aunties plot to stop it without telling anyone, including the groom. Thankfully Meddy and her family are very adept at getting away with murder with their hijinks ie. tai chi at the most inappropriate times & smuggling “Mary Jane” in their hats!
This was entirely too much fun and I didn’t want it to end. I cannot wait for thr further adventures of this crew!
Thanks to Berkley Books and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review.

Meddy and her family are back in the sequel to Dial A for Aunties TOMORROW. while I think I ultimately enjoyed the first book and how it wrapped up a little more, this was still an absolute delight. a possible mafia operation going down at Meddy and Nathan’s wedding made for great antics from these lovable characters.

the book opened with an author’s note on the Asian diaspora not being a monolith, that there are different cultures and the immigrant experience changes from family to family. it set the tone for the story in a great way and the book really captured the warring emotions for the children of immigrants. I think that back and forth between love and embarrassment and gratefulness is difficult to describe but was done so well here. it makes absolute sense that Meddy can be worried about how her mom and aunts are perceived by other people while still loving them fiercely and being proud of her culture.

this was just as a sweet and funny as expected and I will gladly take more books in the future especially if we get to see more of Meddy and Nathan together in them!

Read this if…you liked the first novel in the series and/or like “I Love Lucy” style antics.

Meddy and her four crazy aunties find themselves in another pickle when Meddy’s wedding planners turn out to be in the mafia. As if that weren’t exciting enough, Meddy overhears that they’re planning on carrying out a hit on one of the wedding guests and are blackmailing Meddy and her aunts to keep quiet. Craziness ensues as Meddy tries to enjoy her wedding day and bring down the mafia at the same time!

This was a really cute sequel! I love the Aunties and their personalities. I was cracking up at their ideas of what British people wear and how they talk. I mean, three words say it all- Komodo dragon fascinators! The plot of this one was a bit unrealistic, but if you just enjoy it for what it is- a sweet, light-hearted story about family- then I think fans of the first book will also enjoy this sequel. I hope the series continues because I’d love to see how the Aunties handle it when Meddy has a baby!

A big thank you to Netgalley, the author, and Berkeley Publishing for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Get ready to roll on the ground laughing. This book is worth every hype.

The main character, Meddy, and her family show us that there's no right way to be Asian or diverse. What matters is how you treat and respect people around you.

Meddy is about to get married, and she's excited but also nervous because she's not sure how Nathan's parents would receive her family. All hell breaks loose when Meddy and her aunties find out that someone at the wedding is a target to be killed.

The rest is a fun ride to Oxford. If you really want to laugh while adding a dash of mystery, pick up this book and share the fun.

Four Aunties and Wedding by Jesse Q. Sutanto follows up the book Dial A for Aunties. I did not read the first book, but did not have trouble following along. Meddy Chan is getting married to the delightful Nathan Chan in England and all her Aunties come along to celebrate the wedding. The Aunties have embraced all things British to make sure they fit in for this event! What could go wrong? Well, pretty much everything.

I loved getting to know Meddy’s Aunts. Anyone with “interesting” relatives will relate to Meddy as she navigates their outlandish and over the top antics. I laughed out loud many times as I read the story.

For me personally, this had a little too much slapstick comedy. I appreciated the cultural aspects of the story, how much Meddy and Nathan loved each other, and the value the story placed on loving and taking care of your family. If you want a funny and light read you will enjoy the antics of Four Aunties and a Wedding.

I was given a complimentary copy and not required to write a positive review.

This started out good for me. I was remembering the quirkiness of the aunties and had a little chuckle about their antics. Meddy and Nathan are getting married and the planning has begun in the beginning of the book. What could go wrong???

A lot. This is the aunties after all. These same women found Meddy and Nathan's wedding planners. Thay think all is swell until the night before her wedding Meddy hears the photographer talking about "taking someone out" at her wedding. Meddy finds out that they are part of the mafia!

This story was just a little too much for me--the aunties, that is. It was a cute, over the top story, but was lacking the charm of the first book. The aunties actually annoyed me in this book. Meddy needed to stop letting her ma and the aunties make decisions for her and agreeing to them for fear of hurting their feelings.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Rating: 4.5
Author: @jesseqsutanto
Publication Date: 3/29/22

Oh my gosh, this book was so charming! I didn’t really connect with Dial A For Auntie’s the first time I read it. I think I rushed into it and that really affected my experience with it. Luckily, I gave it another chance on audio a few months later and absolutely loved it. It’s just one of those books that will instantly make you think of your own family. I’m so happy that the sequel had all of my favorite characteristics of the first book. The aunties are still wild, funny, over the top, and way too nosy for anyone's good. But ultimately, they are all about family. They will love one another no matter what happens. Don’t believe me? Read what happened in the first book! This book truly makes me wish I had a family like this. I don’t have any aunts, uncles, or cousins. I do have four siblings but I haven’t talked to them in over ten years.

I have so much to say but I don’t really want to say it because I want you to experience this book for yourself. Just know if you enjoyed the first one then you will most likely love this one too. If you didn’t enjoy the first one I say still give this one a try! Maybe it will surprise you! Ahh it was just so so cute. Is this book way over the top? YES and I am all for it. This book was heartfelt and hilarious. The writing was well done and the story/characters will make you want to read till the end. I would definitely recommend this book and will be listening to the audiobook version in the future.

Thank you so much @berkleyromance for the #gifted copy on #Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Meddy Chan and the aunties are back and this time they’re not planning just any wedding, they’re planning Meddy’s wedding to Nathan! Not wanting her family to do all the work for the wedding, Meddy has decided to hire vendors for the big day. Before Meddy and Nathan can even start to look for vendors, the Aunties pick Staphanie (yes Staphanie with an A) and her Chinese-Indonesian family to do hair, flowers, photos, and the cake. Everything seems to be going well and soon we’re headed to England for the wedding until Meddy overhears Staphnie on the phone planning to take out one of Meddy’s wedding guests. It’s up to Meddy and the aunties to make sure nobody dies during the wedding and of course chaos ensues.

Okay, so, if you read the first book in the series, than you know the Aunties antics are way over the top. That’s what made the first book fun though. It was totally ridiculous and made for a fun easy read. In the second installment, their antics are even more over the top, if you can believe it, and honestly they just wore me out this time around. The aunties are all over the place and constantly saying or doing something meant to shock. Between their British slang they learn, they’re outlandish wedding gowns, and just their overall craziness it was all just too much for me.

Besides the aunties though, I found it hard to enjoy parts of the story specifically because of Meddy’s lack of concern for her own wedding. She’s a wedding photographer. She lives and dreams of wedding, so her complete disregard for so much to do with her wedding and the wedding events stressed me out. I get she’s out to stop a mafia hit taking place at her wedding, but her keeping Nathan in the dark about the events plus the running around she does in such an elaborate gown made me roll my eyes. My own wedding gown was 30 pounds and I found it hard to walk up stairs let alone do some of the things Meddy did.

If you’re looking for an over the top, easy read than you’ll love the next installment in the Aunties series. There were still parts of the story that made me laugh but overall I couldn’t get on board with the outrageousness this time around.

Four Aunties and a Wedding comes out March 29, 2022! Huge thank you to Berkley for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion. If you liked this review please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my instagram @speakingof_books.

So so cute. I laughed out loud at this over the top trip to Europe with the Aunties. Some images this story gave me are unforgettable and I long to see them on a movie screen. Every bit as fun as the first, I highly recommend.

This series is a true gem. The second book in the series finds Meddy ,her mother and quirky aunts in England for Meddy and Nate’s wedding. The only problem is that the the mafia wants to take someone “out” during the wedding! The aunties are not going to let that happen, they know how to take care of problems…or do they.? The last time it didnt go so well and this time they are meeting Nate’s distinguished parents and are part of a wedding!!. Jesse Sutanto once again puts the group in hysterical situations. I laughed out loud so many times, especially as the aunts embrace British culture by adopting their accents.

This is a fun, light series that just puts you in a good mood. The Chinese-Indonesian culture , the strength of family and hilarious circumstances set this series apart from other cozy mysteries. Can’t wait to see what trouble they will find themselves in next.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
#NetGalley FourAuntiesandaWedding #JesseQ.Sutano

I think I tried to pick this one up at the wrong time - in the middle of a book slump and hoped this would be light and funny enough to pull me out. I was very much excited to read Jesse's author's note and the amount of personal depth and representation she wanted to bring through this book (I think that alone makes this a very worthy read).

While I enjoyed it, I can't say I was ever excited to pick it up. Eventually, I decided "it's me, not you" and will try again another time. I don't think my brain or mood were in the right place to suspend my disbelief at yet another wild (if still very humous) situation. I made it about halfway through and feel like this will appeal to fans of the first book and give us all a dose of fun while still underlining some of the character's emotional depth.

The Aunties are at it again! Like book one, this sequel is absolute chaos. Meddy and Nathan are set to get married- they have all of their vendors ready to go and the best part is they are all part of a family business, much like Meddy's and her aunts'. However, could things REALLY go smooth for this family? Of course not! A couple nights before the wedding, Meddy overhears her photographer, Staphanie talking about "taking out" someone at the wedding and finds out that they are part of a mafia. Meddy is to tell NO ONE or her and her family's secrets about the disaster that happened last year will be revealed.. Can the wedding go on without a hitch?

I have no words for this book/series other than it is one chaotic event after the other and I am absolutely here for it! I definitely didn't like this one as much as the first and I'm not sure if it was just the overall series of events, or the humor wasn't as good- but the first one still takes the cake. That being said, I still laughed my butt off reading about this crazy family's antics and kept asking myself, "What else could go wrong?!" Turns out the answer with this family is always, "a lot". There is a ton of back and forth humor with this book and with all of the different characters, the dialogue is a bit difficult to keep up with at times. I really think this series will play well on screen because of all the opportunities for humor, so I am very much looking forward to the first one on the big screen!

Oh Meddy, your aunties are the best! I was a little stressed reading this sequel but I should have known that Meddy, her Ma and her aunties would come though for me. Despite being a very far-fetched plot (they mention far-fetched many times so not unexpected) the warmth of Meddy's family and their sense of fiercely living their lives shines through. Was it crazy? yep. Was it outrageous? totally. In the end, I enjoyed every minute of it. Add in how loving and supportive Meddy's groom Nathan is, and you complete the charm of this story.

The Aunties are endearing, and the look into Chinese-Indonesian culture and the examples of Asian diaspora was very interesting.

I pledge to all who read this: I will always read any book featuring these characters. You should, too!

In this second book of the Aunties series, Meddelin “Meddy” Chan is finally marrying the man of her dreams. She and Nathan had been college sweethearts once but broke up and subsequently lost touch. Happily, they were reunited during the events of the first book, and are now set to be married in his hometown of Oxford, England.

Apart from the happy couple, no one is more excited about this than Meddy’s Ma and three Aunts (in order: Big, Second and Fourth, with Ma herself being third in the sequence.) Meddy is certainly happy to throw the lavish Indonesian-Chinese-inflected wedding they expect, and only partly due to their shared heritage. For Meddy and her family are also all wedding planners, so take a professional interest in making the event as exquisite as possible.

Being seasoned professionals, however, they know that it’s difficult to enjoy a celebration if you’re also the ones responsible for all the moving parts behind the scenes. Thus the Aunties take it upon themselves to find another nice Indonesian-Chinese family of wedding planners to work in their stead. Staphanie Tanuwijaya is, like Meddy, a wedding photographer with an unfortunately spelled name, whose grandmother and three uncles round out the rest of their one-stop service. Despite Meddy’s initial doubts about the Aunties’ choices, she swiftly strikes up a friendship with the sympathetic and capable Staphanie, and agrees to hire on the Tanuwijayas.

At first, the only complications seem to come from the Aunties’ insistence on learning how to dress and speak like “proper” English people so as to better fit in with Nathan’s family and friends. The discount tutor they found online, however, seems to have had rather a different idea of what proper means, as Meddy learns to her mortification when they’re all settling into the plane to England:

QUOTE
“That–no. Second Aunt, that is not what ‘tosser’ means.”

“Yes it is, see here, I got put in my notebook, hmm, where is it…” She takes out her book and flips through page after page of handwritten British slang, muttering under her breath the whole time. “Bugger… bugger off… bugger it…”

“Stop saying ‘bugger’, Second Aunt,” I plead.

“Is mean ‘booger.’”

“It definitely doesn’t mean that,” Nathan says, barely able to keep his face straight.

“Then what it mean?” Second Aunt says. And suddenly, it feels like the entire cabin is looking at us expectantly.

Nathan falters. “Uh. It means… um.” After an interminable silence where not a single eye in the cabin blinks, Nathan mumbles, “Yeah, you’re right, it means ‘booger.’” The fucking coward.
END QUOTE

Fortunately, handling the older generation of four well-meaning women is par for the course for Meddy, even if she is stressing out a little at the cultural clash she’s sure will occur when they do meet Nathan’s straitlaced parents, never mind the strain of the wedding process overall. What finally throws her for a loop, however, is finding out the night before the ceremony that Staph and co are actually a family of criminals using her wedding as a front in order to carry out an assassination. Worse, they have no qualms about blackmailing Meddy and the Aunties into complicity.

What’s supposed to be the happiest day of Meddy’s life is swiftly turning into her worst nightmare. But never fear, the Aunties are on hand to help turn the tables, even if they are more bloodthirsty about it than Meddy anticipated, threatening to kill various Tanuwijayas as necessary:

QUOTE
“Nobody is killing anybody,” I groan.

“Yes, very bad luck, killing someone on wedding day,” Ma scolds Fourth Aunt. “You stop it, you curse Meddy wedding. Later who know what bad luck fall on her marriage? Maybe husband die? Or even worse, maybe no baby, then how?”

“I’m pretty sure having Nathan die is worse than–” Why am I arguing over this? “Never mind. Bottom line: no killing anyone. I can’t believe I have to tell you guys this.”
END QUOTE

On top of the usual wedding and family-blending stress, Meddy now has to figure out who the Tanuwijayas are here to assassinate and how to stop them without imperiling either her own beloved Ma and Aunties or jeopardizing her fiance. Will she manage to finally get married without murder marring the proceedings?

This humorous crime caper showcases modern Indonesian-Chinese women and values in a refreshingly endearing way. The dialog was spot on to my Malaysian American ears, and treated with both realism and respect. I did keep having to remind myself to make allowances for Meddy’s “whatever will people think” neuroses throughout, so felt vindicated for sticking by her when she finally has her breakthrough about dealing with the Aunties towards the end.

Jesse Q. Sutanto thoroughly understands how cultures clash even between different Asian diaspora, and it was really nice to see that highlighted throughout the book. I only wish a little more background on the Aunties had been filled in for people who haven’t yet read the first book. Regardless, this was a fun romp with over-the-top but surprisingly relatable characters engaging in and foiling shady dealings in a wonderfully multicultural setting.

It's time for Meddy and Nathan's wedding! Everything's going according to plan until Meddy hears her wedding photographer on the phone mentioning taking out a target. Confronting her, Meddy is stunned to find out the family she has hired to help plan her wedding are part of the Mafia! Lucky Meddy has her Aunties to help keep everyone safe....

Meddy and her crazy family are back in the next installment of the Aunties series. If you loved book one, then buckle yourself in and enjoy the ride in book two. I laughed my head off in parts and couldn't help grimacing at some of the lovable Aunties sayings peppered throughout the book. I hope this isn't the end of the series - it's way too much fun to end!

Four Aunties and a Wedding is equal parts touching and hilarious. While the first definitely had a mystery vibe, this one feels like a comedy of errors. Of well meaning mistakes that seem to pile up. It felt incredibly realistic, because if I had to stop what I thought was the mafia, I'd probably make similar mistakes. Because of that, Four Aunties and a Wedding is enjoyable and reads quickly. Not only do we want to see Meddy married, but we want to find out if her aunties and her can succeed.

I finished this one way before schedule because I was having so much fun I didn't want to stop! Additionally, Four Aunties and a Wedding is rooted in family. In family we love, but also frustrate us to no end. It's about the family we chose and the ones who show up. Family that only we get to make jokes about. The connection she has with her mother and aunts is touching, especially as Meddy reflects on them in the book.