A fun sweet read! Highly recommend.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for my ARC.

A Wedding In Tuscany is the perfect holiday read. I loved all of the characters, and was pleased to read a book where nothing especially stressful happens.

I must firstly apologise for the amount of time it has taken me to provide me review of this book, my health was rather bad for quite some time, something that had me in hospital on numerous occasions and simply didnt leave me with the time I once had to do what I love most.

Unfortunately that does mean I have missed the archive date for many of these books, so It would feel unjust throwing any review together without being able to pay attention to each novel properly.

However, I am now back to reading as before and look forward to sharing my honest reviews as always going forward. I thank you f0r the patience and understanding throughout x

I randomly discovered Sandy Barker’s books, and I continue to love them. Her characters are fun and likeable, and Sandy has an incredible talent for drawing you in to the location and making it its own character. They are lovely escapes and this was a beautiful ending to a wonderful series.

I’ve enjoyed reading this book. It’s fun, entertaining and didn’t take me long to read. I haven’t read the other books in the Holiday Romance Series but I was able to read it as a standalone. The story is told in a dual POV through the eyes of sisters Sarah and Cat. Both sisters are funny, flawed and completely relatable as one is heading towards a big birthday. The setting was gorgeous and the descriptions really bought the book to life. There was enough twists to keep me hooked on reading. The characters are well developed and it is really well written. This book is full of love, adventure, mishaps and misunderstandings and is the perfect summer beach reads

This story was brilliantly crafted with such a charming setting. I must seek the other books in the series.
Many thanks to HarperCollins UK and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Total fan of Sandy Barker. I like her books and the way books are written. I always will read a story from her. This was another home run.

A Wedding in Tuscany by Sandy Barker
The final instalment shows what happens after ‘The End’
It is my understanding that this is the final instalment in Sandy Barker’s Holiday Romance series, and I am sad to have finish my journey with these characters.
I have read each book in this series and whilst That Night in Paris remains my firm favourite, I enjoyed this little peek behind ‘The End”. Often with contemporary romance we are left wondering what next, after the leading lady has found her man. A Wedding in Tuscany shows the fears, joys and disasters that happen once the reader has closed the book.
In the interests of an honest review, but with no fault of the author, it took me a long time to finish reading this story. My apologies to Sandy, One More Chapter and Netgalley, but you see, I turned forty this summer and though I did not have some major life moment, no Ferrari's were purchased, I did not quit my job, it was very unsettling to read Sarah’s side of the story. When I read fiction, I fully immerse myself in a story and it’s to Sandy’s credit that Sarah’s thoughts and emotions were so relatable, it was like seeing my own concerns in print so to speak.
Now that I have gotten my head on straight, I thoroughly enjoyed the end A Wedding in Tuscany, the vivid descriptions, the depth of the characters and the humour that was threaded through the main plot.
My thanks, as always to #OneMoreChapter #Netgalley and Sandy Barker herself, for giving me the opportunity to review #AWeddingInTuscany.

Purchase Links:
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09PFJXRCW/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_N77MPJTV9X362NM5GEEA
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-wedding-in-tuscany-sandy-barker/1140829591?ean=9780008536770
Waterstones: https://www.waterstones.com/book/a-wedding-in-tuscany/sandy-barker/9780008536787


Go check out my review of Sandy Barker’s summer release, A Wedding in Tuscany @ https://sloantate-mckate.blogspot.com/2022/10/a-wedding-in-tuscany-by-sandy-barker.html Purchase links in the review

It was only after starting to read this book I found out it was the fifth, and last, of a series, not to worry though, it still works beautifully as a stand alone in it’s own right.
About two Australian sisters living on opposite sides of the world and the title wedding, in Tuscany is what brings them geographically together. With family mayhem, misadventure, mid communication comes hilarious consequences. A great book, really fun and heart warming and it will definitely make you want to book that ticket to the Italian countryside.

I read only this one out of the series of 5, and it is totally worth it even as a standalone.

The story is simple - everyone heads to a destination wedding, friends and family - yet the characters are so delicate, the situations so elaborate, that it does not really matter. What does matter is love and the many forms of it, life without the paperwork, life without children, aging, etc... There are many tough topics tackled with a gentle pen. Barker did not shy away from writing about the mental struggles of 40+ women - wellbeing, being whole without children.

I totally enjoyed reading it, digesting it at the slower pace it required.

Another fabulous novel from Sandy and one of my favourites of this series. I loved the characters and the plot, not to mention the fabulous setting!

Cat and Jean-Luc are decamping to Tuscany to get married around friends and family, but have yet to discuss where they are going to live and this is like an albatross around Cat’s neck. Sarah, Cat’s sister, will be having a surprise 40th Birthday party whilst she is on Tuscany; this is an event she is dreading and she feels something is not right with her life.

There was plenty of tension in this book as Cat’s wedding gets closer, along with Sarah’s 40th birthday. Amongst many things going wrong includes forgetting the wedding dress! Underlying the storyline within the book was great tension about the wedding and what was to come next, along with Sarah worrying about her life. These mainly remained unresolved until the end of the book. As well as this plot line you have a potential Sister in Law from hell in the book which provided another layer.

A great family feel about this book, and this was supported by some great characters and interplay between the characters. Alongside this we have the food, and culture of Tuscany. These two things combined to make a great book, which I am happy to recommend.

This was the first book I had read in this series but it held up very well as a standalone and I didn’t feel I had missed anything by not reading the others. I will definitely be seeking out the others in the series.

Thanks to the author, publisher and Net Galley for a review copy of this book for an open and honest review.

I love Italy. I love food, wine, fashion and good party so this book was a pure joy for me to read.

One family, two parties. Younger sister is getting married, older is having her 40th birthday and it is all in the beautiful landscapes and with a lot of Italian vibes (you’re gonna be hungry for sure when reading about all the region’s special!)

Of course, there are “uncomfortable” situation, so the book is not just easygoing, but have a great value that I appreciated in the End.

Anyway, all the books from this series are perfect for reading in holiday. Previous one, I have read in Austria in winter holiday, this one on the airport when flying to Greece. And it was an excellent Choice! I regnet nothing!

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Sandy Barker is back with a gorgeous romantic tale readers will want to lap up in one go: A Wedding in Tuscany.

Sarah’s life is as close to perfect as it is possible to get. She has everything she has always wanted – a gorgeous boyfriend, an adorable cat and a lifestyle in Sydney most people would give their right arm for. Sarah has got absolutely no reason whatsoever to complain about her life yet her impending fortieth birthday is making her anxious and rather apprehensive about her future. What does the coming decade have in store for Sarah? Should she be worried about what’s ahead? Or is she about to learn that life’s unexpected surprises could end up giving her everything she has always wanted?

Cat is happily settled with the love of her life, Jean-Luc. Only, Cat lives in London while Jean-Luc lives in Paris. Their long-distance relationship seems to be going well, so why is Cat worrying about the future? Is she just making a mountain out of a molehill? Is Jean-Luc truly her Prince Charming? Or should Cat look closer to home for her happy ever after?

A surprise wedding proposal takes these two sisters all the way to Tuscany for the fairytale wedding of every bride’s dreams. But is happiness going to be within reach for Sarah and Cat? Or are they both destined for heartache and disappointment?

Dreamy romantic escapism does not get any better than this! Sandy Barker’s books always hit the spot and A Wedding in Tuscany is a warm-hearted, witty and feel-good romantic read that I couldn’t read fast enough. An enchanting and enjoyable tale sprinkled with love, laughter and heart, A Wedding in Tuscany has got it all: gorgeously evoked settings, richly drawn characters, hilarious moments and spellbinding romance.

The perfect summer read, A Wedding in Tuscany is another winner for Sandy Barker!

Having read one of Sandy Barkers books before, I was very excited to given the opportunity to read this new book, ’A Wedding in Tuscany’. Although it is actually one of a series of books, I found it read perfectly as a standalone book.

I really liked the way this book was written, with individual chapters dedicated to either of the Sisters, Cat and Sarah.

Cat is the most wonderful, uplifting character; the more you read about her, the more you want to read about her. She is a veritable rose amongst the gritty, thorny reality of contemporary fiction characters. I simply couldn’t get enough of her, and having read the first few chapters of the book, it really mattered to me, whether or not she got the romantic wedding of her dreams or not. I really do not know how Sandy Barker gets the inspiration for her wonderful, inspiring characters! I love the dynamics within families, particularly those involving the women in the families, and I was tickled by the ‘And this is her special day, so let’s just start deciding things then move onto the next’ comment made by Cat’s Mum to Cat’s Sister, Sarah, when they were discussing the organisation of Cat’s upcoming nuptials, and what Cat might want for her special day! Sarah too was a wonderful character and an an amazing Sister to Cat. An example was when she offered to swap venues – to let Cat have her mystery 40th birthday venue for the wedding, whilst Sarah would have ’Creepy Towers’ for her Birthday party. Cat refused this kind offer of course, and I was relieved for Josh, when he had spent so much time arranging Sarah’s Birthday party. Cat’s betrothed, Jean-Luc sounded simply delightful in both senses of the word; indeed I’m sure my insides turned slightly more towards mush, every time the utterance ’Cherie’ came out of his mouth, intended for Cat.

I love Italy, and the thought of a wedding in Tuscany sounded particularly endearing; the food, the scenery and some fabulous characters – what’s not to love! I couldn’t agree more with Cat’s suggestion of taking the time to soak everything in; indeed this is one of my favourite ways to make the most of a new place – letting the sights, sounds and smells just seep in. Wonderful. I particularly relished the selfless generosity of the author, in allowing us readers these moments.

Something that had me puzzled, was Cat’s reluctance to not only live in Paris, but to even broach the subject. There must surely be something more than Cat’s rocky relationship with her In-Laws, to which this reticence to even talk about the future must be attributed? Regardless, it warranted fairly urgent discussion, preferably before the wedding! Sarah also had me puzzled, with her reticence to have a joint wedding/40th birthday celebration. It seemed that at times she was overcompensating with wedding preparations, in order to avoid her looming 40th celebration. Both Sisters seemed to be in major avoidance mode, with little evidence as to why. However, once it had been ascertained that Cat really had lost her wedding dress, it transpired that the over – exuberant wedding preparation might actually be justified!

I loved the idea of the ’bad-ass’ gal that was Adventure Chick, nut I think its one of those concepts that you will need to read about for yourself, in order to fully grasp its gist!

I really did feel for Cat, when it came to choosing a room wIthin their chosen wedding venue for the actual ceremony; the author had done a fantastic job of making both options sound equally awful – swathed in darkness, cobwebs and various deceased creature memorabilia! Sandy Barker’s gift for descriptive language came to the fore, in the way that she made the dreadfulness of the situation seem so equally real, yet pressing. Cat would have been forgiven, had she gone into full Bridezilla mode at this point, having already discovered that her wedding dress was missing, but she remained relatively calm at this point. Humour was kept alive throughout the book though, an example being the flippant suggestion of an Indiana Jones themed wedding! I must also confess to having had a terrible ‘snaughing’ moment over the revelation of Roberto the masseur! Conversely, I confess to shedding a tear at Cat’s vulnerabilty

Snaugh /snaːf/

snaugh noun – when something is so hysterically funny that your sides hurt as you laugh energetically, whilst simultaneously snorting unattractively (often involving copious amounts of snot), captive to laughter. A solitary moment – nobody else tends to have the slightest clue what is quite so uproariously hilarious, which makes the whole situation even funnier!

I felt terribly sad that Cecile and Cat didn’t get on; again it is a genuine testament of the author’s fabulous writing, that I find I care so much. we didn’t initially have too much information about the relationship, other than an inkling that Cecile had previously been a bit of a bitch towards Cat, and that she liked Jean-Luc’s ex. I must confess though, to liking a bit of drama and I was starting to have doubts over whether or not the wedding would actually happen or not, when you looked at the Cecile situation and combined it with the fact that Cat and Jean-Luc still hadn’t spoken about where they were going to live, post wedding – and we are not talking about something simple as which apartment to live in – but about which country to set down roots.

So many questions. Will the pre-weds find a venue and a dress?

What is Sarah’s problem with her 40th Birthday? I am not going to spoil things for you – you will have to read the book to find out.

A nice book about Sarah and Cat getting their happy endings. It was easy to read and good to see certain characters again. I loved Sarah and Josh, they made a good couple and were still going strong. However, Cat and Jean Luc drove me absolutely bonkers in the book. They kept avoiding big relationship choices and got engaged without discussing where they were going to live. I felt like I was reading about two teenagers at times rather than two fully grown adults. They weren’t as likeable in this book, they were better in their standalone book.

I don’t think you would want to read the book as a stand-alone! But it is a good end to the series.

I didn't realise that this was the finale of a five part series until after I had finished reading it, however reading it as a standalone worked perfectly fine.

The setting is absolutely idyllic - this is a true escapist summer read! I loved the characters and exploring the relationship between the two sisters which was really convincing and brought to life so well. It reads as more than a standard romance and reflects on deeper issues of life and relationships but with a very light touch.

Definitely recommended.

I didn't realise this was the 5th in a series, until I had finished it. However the story works well as a standalone book.
Set in Tuscany, Cat is marrying Jean-Luc and Sarah turns 40.
Nicely written, I am not a prude, but the almost graphic sex seemed out of place. But otherwise a very descriptive tale, highlighting love, and separation across the continents.

This was my first book by this author and it won’t be my last am now looking forward to exploring their back Catalogue

I didn’t realise until I had finished it that a wedding in Tuscany was book five and then last in the holiday romance series. However this did not spoil my enjoyment of the book and I would say it can definitely be read as a standalone and am looking forward to going back to reading the characters previous adventures.

This was the perfect escapism holiday read and the sights and smells transported you to another place away from the rain that was pelting down outside my window. It had a perfect mix of laugh out loud moments and also a deeper under-layer and was so much more than just a romance was about family, friendships, getting older and working out what is missing from life and what road to take next. .

This book needs to be on your summer reading list! It’s a wonderful, quick and fun holiday read that will have you engaged throughout the whole book. Definitely recommend adding this one to your list! If you want gorgeous settings, great characters, and a book that leaves you feeling warm and fuzzy then this is one for you!