I enjoyed parts of this romance, but it felt like it took a long time to get past the mixed signals between Liv and Arran, which was frustrating. The story seemed to drag; I feel like it would’ve benefited from some editing down. I did appreciate the struggles Liv was dealing with and was happy she confronted the issues for her long term happiness.

I am really enjoying these characters. We first met best friends Sam, Nico, and Arran and Maya, Liv, and Elise in The Ex-Mas Holidays (Sam and Maya's story - read my review here). Now, in book two, Allison takes readers back to the Scottish highlands for a celebration of Sam and Maya's happily ever after and an unexpected friends-to-lovers journey for besties Arran and Liv.

Allison has packed this book with fun, laughter, steamy times, tender moments, and more than a little angst. I love Arran and Liv together. I love the ease of their friendship, the respect and support between them, and Liv's sweet relationship with Arran's young son, Jayce. The author takes her time with them, slowly growing their feelings in an organic way that feels right for the emotional barriers holding both of them back.

Arran's emotional baggage is on full display but Liv is hiding a multitude of complex feelings that are slowly revealed over the course of the story. I appreciate how the author deals with her issues and the fact that she doesn't give her an "easy fix" but rather treats them with the gravity they deserve. Both Arran and Liv have significant growth that includes an endearing grand gesture and a proposal that both brought me to smiling tears and convinced me that these three (Arran, Liv, and Jayce) are destined for a wonderful life together.

Waiting in the wings are Nico and Elise...I hope! These frenemies throw off too many intriguing sparks to not be in line for a romance of their own. I'll be watching for more information about the possibility of a book three.

The Wedding Engagement could be enjoyed on its own but because the six friends, plus some supporting characters, are all present - and intrinsic - to the storylines in both books, I found it a lot more fun to read the books in order, beginning with The Ex-Mas Holidays. Wherever you decide to begin, both books have my enthusiastic recommendation.

4.5 stars

This was a quick, quirky read. While this was an okay read for me, I did find myself rushing my reading quite a bit. There was a lot of repetitiveness throughout the entire book. And I felt like there was too much over explanation at certain points in the story where explanation wasn't really needed because the reader can very clearly read between the lines. The MC's didnt stick out to me on their own and seemed kind of lack luster, but the quirky relationship between the MC's was adorable and had me routing for them from the get-go! I understand it was meant to be a slow burn, but their story just felt as though it was dragging only halfway through the book.

Liv has had romantic feelings for Arran, her brother’s best friend, but the situation is complicated by the fact that not only is she his son’s teacher, but she does not believe he feels the same. As if that is not enough to deal with, they now find themselves working together to help plan the wedding of her brother who is marrying her best friend.

After his last relationship Arran is cautious when it comes to his heart, and it isn’t made easier that his best friend is her brother. A blind date between them that did not go well only reinforces that opinion but the more time he spends with her the more he wonders what if however first he must overcome his past.

The relationship between Liv and Arran is more of a marathon than a race which at times has you wanting it to proceed faster and at other time realize the pacing is what they need to find their way to each other. The characters are relatable and their insecurities are understandable as humor and emotion combine.

Romantic, heartfelt, full of heart, and set in beautiful Scotland, "The Wedding Engagement" kept me reading into the early hours of the morning, and I simply did not want to put this contemporary romance down.

Firstly, this cover is so adorable!

Zoe Allison's writing is so engaging, and her love for the story she is telling is so clear to me as the reader. Her characters feel like such real people; their relationships to one another are written in such distinctive ways, their wants, fears, desires, and needs are so clear, and the way in which they interact with one another is powerful. I could envision each and every location, and, now I want to travel to Scotland even more than before (and I didn't think that was possible!)!

(Possible Spoilers!)
Liv and Arran have such a beautiful friends-to lovers romance. Though things are not always smooth sailing the entire time, these two truly bring out the best in each other, and they understand and respect one another in such a poignant way. They both understandably are hesitant regarding letting one another know their true feelings, but, once they do, they realize their feelings are reciprocated. They truly made me smile from ear to ear!

I highly recommend this book for Romance lovers! I can't wait to read what Zoe Allison writes next!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the e-ARC of this novel, and to Berkley Publishing Group for having me on the Blog Tour! All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Liv Holland is a Scottish schoolteacher who has had a crush on Arran Adebayo, her brother’s best friend, for years. Liz and Arran get along well and have so much in common, so much so that they actually end up matching on a dating app and going out once on what turns out to be a terrible date. Needless to say it’s a bit awkward for Liv when her brother decides to marry Liv’s best friend and calls on Liv and Arran to help plan the festivities together. It turns out that Arran has been harboring secret feelings for Liv as well, so what starts out awkwardly for them both starts to evolve into something wonderful.

I really enjoyed this one! There’s plenty of fun and flirty banter and a nice touch of spice as Liv and Arran start to realize they have more than just friendly feelings toward one another. But at the same time, there’s also some emotional depth to the story as Arran is still reeling from having been left at the altar by the mother of his child. Liv is also working through some issues of her own, specifically revolving around her awful father. Liv and her father are estranged but he has spent her whole life making her feel like she doesn’t matter and those emotional wounds run deep. I would definitely classify this one as a slow burn, but I enjoyed watching both Liv and Arran work through their issues and get to a point where they’re ready to be in a healthy relationship. The ending of the story is just the cutest too and so worth the wait!

I always enjoy reading a cute romcom. It literally passes the times, and it makes me so much happier. 
The Wedding Engagement is the cutest romcom read if you are looking for a friends-to-lovers trope. I will warn you that there is also miscommunication trope. I know that not a lot of readers like the miscommunication trope. Just giving you a heads up.
I will say that I enjoy these characters very much. They are the definition of the friends-to-lovers trope. They may not have wanted to pursue their attraction for each other at first, but they were always meant to. They genuinely are meant for each other. And the written love notes to the main female characters were the cutest thing ever! We readers love written love letters or notes. It’s the best thing ever.

Zoe Allison’s new release, The Wedding Engagement, is a fun friends-to-lovers romance. Main characters Liv and Arran have been dancing around their mutual interest for one another for some time, but neither of them takes the chance on their relationship being more.

Arran is a single dad and the best friend of Liv’s brother, Sam. There is the typical dance around the can’t lose a good friend for a short lived romance from both sides along with the usual presumption that the attraction is not mutual.

The plot revolves around Sam’s somewhat rushed wedding. The entire friends group takes on tasks to get the wedding decisions done ASAP. Kudos to the bride and groom for the group delegation! Naturally, Liv and Arran end up on the same assignment—pick the band. Throughout the story, they are thrown together over and over again, but will Liv and Arran figure out what all their friends see in them?

I really enjoyed the main characters’ banter, chemistry and comfortable, respectful interactions. Between the “forced proximity” of wedding errands, Arran’s need for parenting/supervising help, and their friends’ nudging, there is a very satisfying HEA. Ms. Allison’s story is a fun, engaging read.

Thank you to Berkley for the eARC and to PRH Audio for the free audio book.

Did Not Finish.

The audio book of this one was fun to listen. The Scottish accent let me pretend to be Merida.

But this one didn’t vibe with me. Liv has had a crush on her twin brother’s best friend, Arran for over a decade, but they only became friends about a year ago. Only after Arran’s ex-fiancee left him—and he still thinks about it and talks about it, way more than I would expect from a MMC.

Mostly this book was lacking communication. Arran’s 88-year-old neighbor Agnes said it best, “why don’t you just ask her?” Soooo no communication, awkward humor—including the MMC joking about his own weaponized incompetence—and the slowest of slow burns…even the Scottish accent couldn’t keep my interest. Alas, another DNF.

If you're a fan of the friends-to-lovers trope, this book is a must-read. Zoe has masterfully captured the essence of this beloved trope, infusing it with fun, heartfelt moments, and a dash of spice. The story is a delightful escape, with entertaining plot twists, spot-on banter, and a romance that will leave you swooning.

One of the things that stood out for me was the strong friendship among the characters in this book. This is a tight-knit group, and I adored how supportive they were of each other. I also loved the fun banter-y teasing that went on among the friends. This story has lots of light, fluffy, and laugh-out-loud moments, which makes for such an enjoyable read. But this book isn't just fluff; Zoe tackles some pretty challenging topics, like a toxic parent and toxic past relationships. Zoe handled these topics with care and thought and did a great job at weaving them into her story in a realistic and relatable manner.

The characters in this book were wonderful! Zoe really is a likeable character. She is smart and funny, and I couldn't help but root for her. She is crushing hard for Arran, her brother's best friend. Zoe and Arran have grown closer over the years and now consider each other close friends. Even though it looks like Zoe has her life together, she struggles when it comes to romantic relationships. Her toxic relationship with her father has made it difficult for her to get close to another man romantically. She believes in love and HEA, but not for herself. Arran is a real sweetheart of a hero. He is funny and charming and is also crushing on Zoe. But Arran has a lot on his plate. He is co-raising his son with his ex-fiancé, who doesn't seem as interested in parenting. Arran has some emotional baggage from his ex-fiance leaving him, and it's been difficult to move on when his ex is still in his life. As the story progresses, both MCs really need to focus on internal health and growth. It is something that they do independently and with each other's support. Their journey to getting their HEA is full of miscommunications and pinning.

I love a romance that is chalked full of witty banter. Zoe and Arran really are perfect for each other. I loved, loved, loved their banter. It is flirty and nerdy. I devoured every exchange between these two. Besides all the fun banter, there was some real depth to Zoe and Arran's relationship that comes from two characters that have known each other for a long time. These two have supported each other over the years and have stood by each other through thick and thin. They are a team that works so well together. The only real miscommunication that exists between them is connected to their romantic feelings, which is pretty understandable, given their past and friendship. You will love this book if you are a fan of friends to lovers, brother's best friend, slow burn, pinning, miscommunications, and fun, flirty banter.

The Wedding Engagement is a fun, flirty friends-to-lovers rom-com that is sure to please any romance bookworm.

This book explored really cute themes! However, I had a hard time connecting with the story and that is obviously on me and not the book. I recognize that it has great potential to appeal to other romcom readers and I encourage others to try it out! Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book.

DNF 22%

I love the premise! A friends to lovers, single dad story sounds great. Unfortunately I wasn't feeling the friendship or any romantic chemistry either. For a friends to lovers story I needed to be more invested in their friendship to truly feel why it's such a bad idea for them to lose that. Right now it only seems like he stands to lose free childcare which isn't really selling me on their connection. For readers looking for something lower stakes this might be a hit. Unfortunately for me I had trouble connecting to the characters.

The Wedding Engagement by Zoe Allison is a contemporary romance in which friends become more. Liv and Arran are best mates and becoming more, but oh, so slowly. Arran’s young son Jayce was a cute addition, adding levity to the mix.

Arran is best friends with Liv’s twin brother, who is engaged to her best friend. The story’s main focus is the planning of Sam and Maya’s wedding. Set in Scotland, there are a lot of Scottish words describing the action, the food, and some of the locales. They each have another friend who is part of the story, and the six form a good group of friends. They all have their issues that they’re dealing with. Working through their problems alone and together took time; sometimes I felt they needed a push.

Family issues and relationship details were always present; most were unhappy memories. Multiple stories are told, and they are woven together. There are some steamy moments as well. There is closure and a happily ever after for Arran and Liv, which takes place during the wedding. While their getting together was expected and portrayed nicely, it took them to the last two chapters to finally acknowledge their feelings so they could get their happily ever after in the sweetest of ways.

Set in Scotland, The Wedding Engagement moves friends to lovers as they help plan a wedding for secondary characters.

I rated the book 3.5 stars but rounded to 4 stars here and on other sites.

Two cautious people trying to navigate the single life with relationship battle scars that seem overwhelming. Can they be brave enough to claim the happiness that's just out of reach?

The story is heartfelt, earnest, and charming. Definitely worth a read.

I really enjoyed this book! I previously liked Zoe Allison's other book, so I had a feeling this would be good as well, and I am happy to have been right! I love the single-dad trope and friends to lovers, so this was right up my alley. I do wish there had been some better communication between Liv and Arran, but I did overall like them together. As with "The Ex-Mas Holidays," I found that the pacing was a bit off at times with this one, but I enjoyed the story nonetheless! I liked how much of this book revolved around Sam and Maya's wedding planning as well, as I like getting to see the whole friend group together. Overall I would recommend this book, and I'm excited for Zoe's next book!

Thank you to Berkley Romance for the free book and to PRH Audio for the complimentary audiobook. These opinions are my own.

The Wedding Engagement follows The Ex-Mas Holidays from Zoe Allison last year. It can stand alone, but I appreciated knowing the characters whose wedding they were working on.

Liv and Arran are great friends. And they are both helping to plan her twin brother's wedding. They use a blind date app and are shocked to find the other their match. But of course, they are really only friends.

This included many of my favorite tropes all set together in an amazing Scottish background. Read it if you love:

- Twin brother's best friend and childhood crush
- Friends-to-lovers with lots of pining and neither wanting to risk the relationship
- Single dad and nursery school teacher

Plus the FMC reads romances and provides an excellent answer to the question of whether romance novels are realistic. Yay for romance readers being celebrated!

Mia Hutchinson-Shaw narrated all the voices so well. This book was a delight.

I really appreciate Zoe Allison's small-town contemporary Scottish romances. They're low angst, feel grounded in a (probably slightly idealized) multicultural Scotland, and include a lot of fun, accessible banter. (These are friends who talk like friends, not people who come up with amazing quips on the fly!)

This book focuses on Arran, single dad and up-and-coming artist, and Liv, black belt karate master and nursery school teacher. They've been friends for years, but nervous about taking it to the next level. This is a low-stress read that has a lot of compassion for all of the characters, even those who could be the villains in the hands of a different author. I had a fun time reading it.

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.

💍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 The Wedding Engagement by Zoe Allison 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿💍

Liv and Arran have been friends for forever. But Liv has secretly been crushing on Arran for most of the past 15 years. Arran is her twin brother Sam’s best friend, and has newly become a single dad after his engagement ended. As Liv spends more time with Arran and his son Jayce, she finds it harder than ever to pretend she just wants friendship from him.

The Wedding Engagement is book two in an interconnected series following The Ex-Mas Holidays. I didn’t realize that until a good bit of the way into this one and I think my experience would’ve been enhanced by reading that one first. Overall I did still enjoy The Wedding Engagement though!

The friends to lovers and slow burn here worked well together. It was really clear why both Arran and Liv were reluctant to risk their friendship by pursuing a romantic relationship, even if at times I really just wanted them to actually talk to each other about their feelings. They had ample chemistry and by the time they got together it felt like a well-earned payoff!

Recommended for romance readers who enjoy:
❤️‍🔥 slow burn
🎨 friends to lovers
👨🏽 single dad
👧🧒 brother’s best friend
🏡 found family
🌲 mutual pining
💌 love letters
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 set in Scotland
🤡 parental abuse/neglect

**3.5-stars rounded up**

The Wedding Engagement is a Romance by Zoe Allison. This story follows MCs, Liv and Arran, and is set in Scotland. Liv is a preschool teacher and Arran is an up-and-coming painter, as well as a single-Dad to a sweet little boy that Liv will soon have in her classroom.. Arran is Liv's brother's best friend, so the two have known each other for a long time.

They have a very tight knit group of friends, but when Arran occasionally needs help with his son, it's Liv who really starts showing up for him. Her excuse is that she doesn't have much of a life otherwise and she doesn't mind at all. The truth is more complex. She's crushing hard on Arran, but yeah, also loves his son too. She wants to help him and definitely enjoys the extra time with her bro's handsome-BFF.

Arran notices Liv showing up for him, and in truth, he's been noticing a lot more than that. The sexual tension is boiling and their banter is just so cute. When the two end up set-up together on a blind date, they have the opportunity to finally express what they've been feeling, but they both fail. Big time.

Even though it felt frustrating in the beginning, because miscommunication, this cast of characters did really grow on me. Arran was such a sweetheart and I empathized with Liv and her very real struggles and self-doubts. I loved Arran and Liv's banter, and more importantly, just the way they were with each other; how they considered each other's feelings so much.

My favorite thing though was the friend group. I loved how supportive and open they all were with one another, both the men and the women.
A lot of the plot of this revolves around Liv's brother, Sam, and his engagement and upcoming marriage to one of her best friends. Arran and Liv are both involved in the wedding planning and the stag and hen do. I did enjoy that as well. Those types of set-ups are always fun to read about, IMO, and it helped to bring about a lot of necessary time for Arran and Liv to spend together.

Additionally, I appreciate the real-life issues that Allison explored with these MCs. For Liv, there was a lot of back story having to do with her bio-Dad and him basically being a shitbag. For Arran, there was a lot of drama involving his ex-fiance, Jess.

Granted, I don't read a ton of Romance, but the Romance I do read and enjoy tends to tackle some heavier topics for the MCs. I need more than just sex and attraction. I want them working through things together, as a team and providing both emotional support and protection for one another. I felt like Allison did a great job of channeling that into this story. This budding relationship had substance. I could walk away feeling like it wasn't going to fizzle out in 8-10 years when the sexual attraction may have started to take more of a backseat in comparison with other issues.

Overall, while I'm not sure how memorable this story will be for me in the long-run, I still really enjoyed it and the journey that I went on with these characters.

Thank you to the publisher, Berkley, for providing me with a copy to read and review. This is the first that I have read from this author, but I'm definitely looking forward to more.

Liv's twin brother and her best friend are getting married. As she helps them plan their wedding with her brother's best friend Aaron, who is also a very good friend of hers, feelings a surfacing that they both have been trying to push down for a long time.
This is a brother's best friend, friends to lovers romance with secret pining. It was a cute and fluffy read, about 100 pages too long for my taste and for what it was.
I received an advance review copy of this book for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.