I devoured this! When Penny and Chase announced their engagement, neither of their mothers was thrilled at first. This story of their wedding, told through the MOG and MOB perspectives, shows that despite differences, love will prevail..I loved both of these women, loved learning about their families, their reservations for the wedding, and loved hanging out with them in this book. I loved the agony aunt perspective between chapters and really would love to spend more time with all the characters!

Although Alexa and Abigail come from completely different backgrounds as Alexa comes from a boisterous Greek family out of Patmos whereas Abigail hails from a staid New England family rooted in DAR, both are unwavering in their love for their children and the willingness to put their differences aside to make sure they are happy. Abigail constantly reflects on the past and what should have been her life if George had proven to be successful in his career. Therefore, it is easy to understand why image is everything to her in order to keep up appearances of success and how even her house comes into play as serving as a perfect background. She wants so badly to be mentioned in Aunt B's column that she appeared blind to how well suited Penny and Chase were for each other. Quite frankly, she led a small and lonely life. Alexa was the polar opposite as she epitomized independence and surrounded herself with the Merry Widows as she traveled the world and was open to new experiences. She let people in. Yes, Penny and Chase put a pause on the wedding but the mothers knew that it should be temporary because they were truly right for each other. They may occupy two bodies but with one soul. The ending was so full of love and the evolution of relationships such as Lloyd and Sarah that it gives the reader hope that there is someone out there. A great and inspiring read.

"Abigail and Alexa Save the Wedding" is a charming romp through the wedding-industrial complex. Lian Dolan's attention to details, as always, brings the reader into luxurious homes on the California coast, privileged circles in New York and Connecticut and she paints pictures of exotic Grecian isles to enjoy from afar. It is lovely to have two protagonists well into their sixties, with sidekicks of equal age and backup singers, if you will, in their twenties and thirties. It is fun to dip our toes into the pools of the wealthy and get an exclusive look at a lifestyle most readers won't ever get to enjoy first hand. This novel will especially appeal to readers who have recently planned a wedding, attended one, or are about to pay for the experience! The inventive columns by a fictional newspaper nuptials columnist are such a fun way to open each chapter and the advice seems spot on, even if fabricated to advance this story of love, families, obligation, and friendship. As an afterward to this review, it is important to mention the disastrous fires that have destroyed homes of both the rich and poor in the area of California where A&A is set. It may take a little while for west coast readers to find as much enjoyment as I did, so I'll recommend with care and empathy.

Another delightful excursion from author Lian Dolan, who writes smart books about and for smart women. Her latest takes us into The Wedding Industrial Complex, but it’s told from the point of view of the mother of the bride (Alexa) and the mother of the groom (Abigail). It reflects Dolan’s deep research into details of place, in this case Montecito and coastal Connecticut. I wish I hadn’t read it all in one sitting, but it’s a complete page turner. And I loved the device of the wedding advice columnist, which provides wry commentary on what not to do as a guest, MOB, MOG, or bride.

Our 2 main characters are mom's. One is the MOB and 1 is the. MOG, alexia and abigail. Their kids are getting married, from not even knowing if they like each other to trying to saving the wedding day this is a cute book. It was fun. I feel like the character of Abigail was fleshed out a little more than Alexa's character, but I would have like to know in more about Alexia she had a very fun group of friends in Montecito called the merry widows, and they were hysterical, and I would definitely love a book about them

Thank you, not galley for the arc in exchange.for an honest review

I appreciate the opportunity to read this advance copy of Lian Dolan’s book. Lian had a great time researching this wedding romp. I wonder who she knows in Montecito? I share Aunt Bs sentiments which acted like a calm, steady bridge between the chaos of wedding planning and the event. Aunt B, while tech savvy and world weary, provided reason and logic to cancelling “bridezilla “ behavior in all roles involved. Well thought out characters and believable (but still over the top) plot lines made this a nonstop pleasure to read.
I look forward to the pre summer publication and reading reviews. Thoroughly enjoyed this.

As a soon-to-be Mother of the Groom (MOG), let me first say that the message was clear: my role is to "wear beige, stand back, and shut up"—unless, of course, a little scheming is called for.

This is a light, spice-free read told from the perspectives of both the MOB (Mother of the Bride) and MOG as they process the news of the engagement and are tasked with planning the wedding together, with a short timeline. Not an easy feat, given how different they are—Abigail envisions a classic wedding at her Connecticut waterfront home, hoping to make the society pages, while Alexa immediately dreams of a celebration in the California coastal town that evokes the feel of her Greek homeland. While the story focuses on the wedding preparations, it also delves into the personal dynamics and complexities of their relationships with family and friends.

About two-thirds of the way through, after an unexpected twist, the two mothers form an unlikely alliance. With the best of intentions, they join forces in a scheme to "save the wedding." With such a colorful cast of characters, I found myself wishing this dynamic had played a bigger role in the story.

Overall, it's a charming, feel-good read, perfect for anyone who enjoys a heartwarming story about family, relationships, and the chaos that comes with planning a wedding.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow Books for providing me with an advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I absolutely loved the characters in this book and their story! It was so fun and a light read. I couldn’t put it down because I was very curious how it would all end.

This was a beautifully done romance novel, it had that element that I was looking for and enjoyed the concept of this. The characters were everything that I wanted and enjoyed the element of this worked. Lian Dolan has a strong writing style and thought it worked well in this universe.

Fairly predictable but an enjoyable read.. Well written, great characters and well told. hanks for the opportunity to read this and much luck on publication.

High expectations for weddings is a pet peeve of mine, so this was right up my alley. Two mother in laws to be come together to help their kids put together the wedding of their dreams...but the ideas don't really mesh with the couple's dreams.

I loved the characters, and the plot is modern and fun.

The couple are both highly involved in their careers, so a lot of the planning goes to the moms, who both have very different ideas about how this will happen. The author didn't focus on the young couple, but gave us the middle aged women (facing the challenges that come with that, loss of money, fear of love, and where they will fit into the future picture."

Thank you to William Morrow and Net Galley for a digital ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

A delightful book about a big fancy wedding! Penny's mom, Alexa, is a successful travel guide in California, and Chase's mom Abigail is a rich housewife. Penny and Chase call to say they are engaged, and Alexa is shocked- a strong Greek woman, she doesn't see the point of the paperwork of a marriage. And Abigail isn't much better, as fortunes have been on a downturn for her husband as she holds it all together. Chase is the right hand man of the mayor of New York, both Chase and Penny's jobs are very important to them.

Planning a wedding and combining families is a common storyline, fighting between the couple and their mothers is practically a trope... but this book is such a refreshing take on it. The couple are very much supporting characters, we know them but they don't take the spotlight, this is like a romance novel where the love interests take a back seat. This is definitely Alexa and Abigail's story, of how they come together, overcome problems with their lives and the wedding planning, and really become amazing mothers to married adults. Interspersed within the narrative are bits of an advice column website to the "betrothed and beloveds" that is all about wedding planning etiquette, it is very funny, pokes fun at family dynamics and how stressful this can be.

I haven't been a bride in 20 years, and I won't be a "mother" to a bride or groom for probably 10 more years since I have teenagers. So for my own life, I am in that plateau of not attending any weddings for awhile. It was so much fun to jump back into that wedding planning world 20 years later, as so much has changed and yet so much remains the same. I absolutely requested this book because of the cover, my wedding had a lemons theme. I expected the book to be cute, fluffy beach read, and it definitely is, but I enjoyed it more than I thought. I would love to read a second book about Alexa and Abigail. They really put aside their own needs in order to make that transition into how your role changes as your adult child creates a new family of their own.