Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. This book was very much not for me. Every character was bitter and angry and not like able and they say “book people are the best people” but this was not true at all for these characters. I didn’t buy the romance at all.

I just loved this book so much I just couldn’t put it down. I just loved this story and the relationship between Gemma and Ben is just amazing they just bounce off each other and what seems like hate turns to love and it’s just amazing. There is also so many characters in this book that are just amazing too. I was sorry when I finished this book as it was just so amazing!

I would highly recommend reading this book if you love a rom-com book with an amazing story and amazing characters.

I would like to thank One More Chapter and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book early.

Thank you so much NetGalley, HarperCollins UK and One Mkre Chapter for sending me an ARC!!
i really enjoyed this
i liked the slow tension between MC's
i'm gonna be honest, i kind of hated Lulu for the majority of the book, but then at the 80% she redemeed herself
i also relate to Gemma so much, so thats probably why i loved this so much
i giggled so much and kicked my feet in the air its not even funny
anyway, loved this
4,75⭐

Thank you SO much to HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter, and NetGalley for the ARC of The Wedding Date Disaster! 🖤

Meet Gemma, a people-pleasing book editor, who has just been invited to her half-sister’s dream Italian wedding. Gemma’s boyfriend, Adam (who really reminded me of Patrick, Louisa’s boyfriend in Me Before You), declines to attend as her plus one. Gemma can’t face her family alone, so enter Ben, her business colleague / sworn mortal enemy who ends up as her “fake date” at the wedding 💒🛵🇮🇹📚

The Wedding Date Disaster by Kate R. Mathieson is a laugh out loud romantic comedy that follows Gemma, a pathological people-pleaser who’s always felt like the outcast of her family. Born in the UK but now living in Australia, Gemma works as an editor for a major publishing company and is on the verge of securing a big promotion. Enter Ben, the charming new guy who becomes her arch-nemesis and swoops in and takes the coveted Chief Editor role. As if that wasn’t bad enough, Gemma’s sister is getting married in Italy, her dream destination, but her boyfriend couldn’t care less about going. To avoid facing her family alone and looking like a failure, Gemma enlists the help of a friend to find a fake boyfriend for the wedding. Enter Ben, who secretly volunteers for the role, and Gemma has no choice but to present him as her real boyfriend, Adam.

There’s nothing I love more than a fake dating, enemies-to-lovers story, and The Wedding Date Disaster hit every note perfectly. From the witty banter to the electric chemistry between Gemma and Ben, I was giggling and kicking my feet throughout. I absolutely adored their journey from rivalry to romance, and the pacing was spot-on. Often in these kinds of books, the enemies dynamic fizzles out too quickly, or the fake dating aspect feels rushed, but this book took its time to develop both, making the story feel authentic and satisfying.

I couldn’t put this one down! Ben and Gemma’s evolving relationship had me eagerly flying through the pages, rooting for them every step of the way. The book balances humor, heart, and the occasional swoon-worthy moment with ease. I would highly recommend this to anyone who loves a feel-good rom-com with plenty of tension, sweet moments, and a dash of hilarity. This one is definitely going on my must recommend list!

TROPES:

-Enemies-to-lovers

-Fake dating

-Destination romance

-Workplace drama 

-Family relationships

I actually really enjoyed this plot. I think some more editing needs to happen- which is funny considering it’s a book about book editors. I foresee many people disliking Ben but if you can stick it out until the end, you’ll see he’s not all bad. There’s a lot of inner dialogue and too much backstory that wasn’t really relevant with Gemma that I wasn’t crazy about- it was too much. I think dual POV would have broken some of it up or even a couple chapters of Ben’s POV. All in all, I enjoyed it and I would recommend it.

Holy Moly is this book good! I am a very slow reading and when I say I read this in one night, that shows you how great it is! Gemma and Ben work together and are competing for the same promotion. When things don't go the way Gemma hopes, their relationship goes from bad to worse. Gemma has to go to her stuck up step-sister's wedding in Italy, her boyfriend refuses to go because he is starting a new job in a few weeks and has to prepare. She requests the help of her friend to help her find a stand in and in come Ben. You guessed it, Ben and Gemma have to pretend to be in a relationship, all the while, Gemma is hating on Ben so much. Will they ever be able to come to a truce? A bit of a spoiler - this book ends up super steamy so buckle up and get ready for a enemies turned lovers story!

I really wanted to love this book, but it ended up being a bit of a struggle for me. The main female character, Gemma, held onto a massive grudge against the male lead, Ben, which made it hard for me to connect with her. While I totally understood her reasons for feeling the way she did, it felt like that resentment dragged on without any real development. As the story progressed, it became challenging to warm up to Gemma.

In the beginning, I was completely on her side; Ben definitely had his irritating moments. But as their journey unfolded, he started to reveal more layers to his personality, while Gemma felt a bit one-dimensional in comparison. I could empathize with her tough family dynamics and the weight they placed on her, but she seemed so overly sensitive to every little thing Ben did. This ongoing conflict turned what could have been a spark-filled romance into a drawn-out slow burn that left me wanting more.

The Wedding Date Disaster by Kate Mathieson was a fun, sweet, and adorable romance with great characters and a believable plot.

Kate R. Mathieson’s The Wedding Date Disaster is a lively blend of fake dating, workplace rivalry, and family drama, centred around Gemma Evans, a hardworking editor with a tendency to put others’ needs ahead of her own.

The story combines romantic tension and personal growth in a charming setting, though not without a few stumbles along the way.

Gemma’s world is upended when her boyfriend, Adam, decides not to accompany her to her sister’s glamorous Italian wedding. To avoid her family’s judgment, she recruits a fake date, only to be blindsided when her office rival, Ben McDonald, steps in as her unexpected plus-one.

What follows is a journey of self-discovery for Gemma as she navigates family expectations, a simmering enemies-to-lovers romance, and a deeper understanding of her own worth.

The book’s highlights include its engaging romance and the dynamic transformation of Gemma’s character. Ben’s role in helping Gemma emerge from her shell adds depth to their relationship, making their evolution from adversaries to lovers feel authentic. The fake dating trope is handled with charm, and the romantic tension is both compelling and satisfying.

However, the novel isn’t without its flaws. The early focus on designer clothing at Peacock Press, while intended to underscore Gemma’s discomfort in her environment, felt somewhat out of place and distracted from the story’s emotional core. More significantly, the treatment Gemma endures from her sister Lulu and her family is, at times, painfully over-the-top. This makes the resolution feel rushed and insufficiently earned, considering the lifetime of neglect and disregard Gemma faces.

Overall, The Wedding Date Disaster is a quick and enjoyable read, with a captivating romance and a strong arc of personal growth.

With thanks to NetGalley and One More Chapter for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for this book copy! I devoured this book in about a day - I wanted to give it 5 stars but I feel like there was something missing from giving it 5 stars but I just can’t quite figure it out yet. It was a perfect balance of romance and humor as well and the entire story was like a perfect circle being completed.

And this next point might be something that others saw as a con, but the main female character is a doormat or always a people pleaser and I saw a little of myself in that so I appreciated it a bit - not all characters can be perfect, everyone has flaws.

There are some grammatical errors I noticed but one thing that stood out was there was some times were lines were in past tense but then went back to present. It was still easy to read and correct in my mind but it was noticed.

I can see this book as a movie - one of those Hallmark movies, enemies to lovers rom com!

Setting in this book was fantastic, the author did a wonderful job of enthralling us in the story. The banter was one of the best I have seen overall 4 stars.

Thank you HarperCollins UK, one more chapter & netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately, this book was not for me :( I really didn't like the main characters.. I think that Ben is so rude?? and Gemma is annoying! Not only did I not enjoy the main characters, the side characters were insufferable too!! Gemma's family is so mean??

I really wanted to enjoy this book but it's hard to when I didn't like the characters and didn't feel a connection towards them.

The Wedding Date Disaster: ★☆☆☆☆ (1)

The Wedding Date Disaster by Kate Mathieson is a fantastic read that follows Gemma, a people pleasing editor, as she attends her estranged sister’s wedding with her work nemesis as her blind date. This is such a fun read, I enjoyed every minute of it and was sad when it ended. Gemma is such a great character and the chemistry between her and Ben unfolds in a way that keeps you hooked! As an Aussie myself, I really appreciated all the small Australian references but they in no way impede the reading experience if you’re not from the land of Aus. Overall, a well written, really enjoyable read, I highly recommend! Thank you to the author, NetGalley, HarperCollins and One More Chapter for the ARC!

Thank you to HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for this ARC!

It's a cute enemies-to-lovers romcom. It was a quick and fun read. Just my personal preference, but it feels like at 34 years old, the FMC could be a bit more mature. Her traits feel more like someone in their early twenties. I get that this is very much an enemies-to-lovers story, but I still kind of wish the MMC wasn't so over-the-top unlikable. He sort of redeemed himself towards the end of the story, though he also seemed to lack maturity.

I enjoyed the narrative style and it was an easy and relaxing read!

Gemma needs a date for a wedding, and ends up with her work nemesis Ben. We follow them on their journey to Italy, and see how not only their relationship unfolds but how he helps her overcome family hurt. This perfect Italian backdrop with just enough spice to make you swoon makes for an excellent read.

Thank you NetGalley for an arc of The Wedding Date Disaster by Katie Mathieson

When Gemma Evans loses a promotion to her workplace nemesis, she sees her perfect future start to crumble. The cherry on top of this whole disaster is an invitation to her half-sister Lulu's four-day Italian wedding, to which her boyfriend can't make it, meaning Gemma has less than two weeks to find *someone* to act as a stand in. When a co-worker sets her up with a blind date to fill said role, Gemma is horrified to find that the man who came to her rescue is the very same one who essentially stole her job - Ben McDonald.

Enemies-to-lovers with a side of destination wedding sounded like such a fun adventure, and while this was mostly an enjoyable read, there were a few things that just didn't sit right with me. Ben comes across as downright cruel at the start, and Gemma's family isn't much better, but by the end the story was able to polish every one up a bit and give us the expected happily ever after. Overall if you're a fan of workplace romance and fake-dating with a sprinkle of spice, this might just be the book for you!

Thank you to HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter, and NetGalley for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4 stars!

Editor Gemma needs a date to her half-sister's wedding in Italy. Her boyfriend can't make it because of work. Gemma's coworker sets her up with a fake boyfriend, who unfortunately happens to be Ben, Gemma's arch-enemy who snatched a promotion right under Gemma's nose.

Gemma's family was weird, and they didn't seem to care about Gemma's feelings at all. Not that Gemma didn't express them to them, as she was kind of a pushover. But Ben, who believes in honesty, helps Gemma to find her voice.

The book was mostly a quick read, although it felt like it dragged a bit halfway through. There were lots of The Hating Game and The Spanish Love Deception vibes. After maybe 60% it got a lot better and I couldn't put it down!

WHAT I LIKED: There were some funny moments. I loved the last 40%! Towards the end it got better and better.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE: Gemma had a boyfriend and fell for another guy - that's a bit problematic, but I think it was handled well. I was a bit disappointed because there was no epilogue with glimpses to their future!

WHAT TO EXPECT:

Pov: heroine, 1st person
Heat: open doors (mostly kissing except for a one bedroom scene near the end)
Pacing: slowburn

Communication: there were both miscommunication and healthy communication
Third act: hiccups
Ending: HFN (we don't see them in the future)

Main characters:
* Both are book editors
* Alpha Hero
* Enemies to lovers (a bit; Ben never hated Gemma)

What?
* Fake dating
* Forbidden love
* Forced proximity
* Weddings

Where?
* Italy
* Workplace romance

Drama?
* Difficult past
* Family drama
* Misunderstandings in the past

Other vibes:
* Book about books

The am you to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read this in advance.
Our dear Gemma... I felt for her, I saw myself in her cause in my teens and early tweenties I used to be like that (a people pleaser who kept quiet not to upset anyone) but now I'm around her age in the book and, let me tel you, not anymore, for a good few years that I've not been doing that anymore that's for sure. She's such a caring person and friend.
As for Ben, I loved when they embarked on this adventure together and I knew he would reveal himself to be so much more than the shallow guy Gemma thought him to be. The chapters in which she was sick myed my heart 😍
As for her family... Oh. Dear. Lord. How can someone be so oblivious of what they're doing to they're daughter, sister, friend, etc? Lulu was specially annoying and specially what she and her friends did with the Gemman story was disgusting to me. If one little thing wasn't like she wanted she would make a fit, I just wanted to get into the book, grab her on the shoulders and give her a shake and say Wake Up Girl!!! At the end she had her redemption when Gemma talked to her but still, there were so many things that could be avoidable.
I'm the end the only that mattered to me in this story was really Gemma and Ben and I love them together so much!

I absolutely love an enemies to lovers and fake dating so I was excited to read! The banter is great in this book and I loved the back and forth between Gemma and Ben. The sparks were definitely there, and you could see the romance coming from a mile away.

I unfortunately had to DNGF this book. I do not even know where to start. The story line does not really wake any sense.