This was a quick and easy read. Gemma's emotional turmoil is palpable in the first half of the book. However, I do feel like the final third of the book was a bit flat and storylines were sort of out of control. At times, the payoffs and emotional beats felt unpolished and rushed. Which resulted in character arcs feeling out of place. I really wanted the setting of Italy to thrive and it didn't really pop in this book. Ben and Gemma's journey could've been set up better so I'm giving this 3 stars.

Thank you HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter, and NetGalley for the arc!

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this book!!

What a good book!! This one had me hooked from page one! I could t put it down. I loved the writing style of this book. I lived the characters and they had great chemistry.

It's The Spanish Love Deception, but set in Italy, and with the emotional depth and compulsive readability (and Australian authorship) of The Hating Game. If you like enemies-to-lovers romance and women's fiction starring bookish, people-pleasing protagonists who learn to tell their truth and demand their due, you'll love The Wedding Date Disaster.

If you’re obsessed with enemies to lovers, fake dating, and a swoony destination romance set against the gorgeous backdrop of Italy, then The Wedding Date Disaster by Kate Mathieson is your next read.

Picture this: Gemma Evans is on the edge of her dream career… until her work nemesis, Ben McDonald, swoops in and snatches the promotion. As if that isn’t enough, she’s got a family wedding in Italy to survive—alone—until a blind date “rescues” her... except the blind date turns out to be BEN.

🖤 What’s inside?

🔥 Enemies to lovers tension (and oh boy, the banter!)
🕶️ Fake dating shenanigans that spiral out of control in the BEST way
🌍 Italy vibes for days—romantic, dreamy, and absolutely wanderlust
😈 A hero who’s equal parts infuriating and irresistible
💥 Spice, laughs, and family drama that keeps you turning pages

It’s giving The Spanish Love Deception meets Book Lovers, with a dash of The Love Hypothesis charm. Gemma and Ben’s chemistry is chef’s kiss 🔥, the character growth is spot on, and you’ll fall for every moment of their tension-filled, swoon-worthy journey.

✨ If you love fake dating, snarky workplace dynamics, and romance that feels like a warm hug with a touch of spice, this book is for you. Go grab The Wedding Date Disaster and thank me later! 🖤

Thank you to NetGalley, Kate Mathieson, and HarperCollins UK/One More Chapter for the eARC of this book.

Thank you to One More Chapter for the Arc on NetGalley. Gemma thought she had The One, but now her Plus One is making her realise there’s more to life than just ‘good enough’…

Gemma Evans goes from being on the brink of everything she’s ever dreamed of, to the brink of a nervous breakdown when she’s passed over for a promotion and forced to watch her work nemesis, Ben McDonald, become the new Chief Editor at Peacock Press.

To add insult to injury, she’s got to attend a family wedding in Italy and her boyfriend can’t make it. No way is Gemma showing up alone so she asks a friend to help her secure a ‘date’. But Gemma’s blind date turns out to be her worst nightmare…

Ben is the last person Gemma wants to have to rely on but it’s too late to turn back now and as the wedding weekend unfolds, she’s surprised to realise he’s human after all and, dare she say it, a really nice guy? A really nice guy she’s suddenly developing very real feelings for…


Overall I enjoyed the book it was an entertaining read. The family did annoy me I wanted to smack all of them. The main character Gemma was slightly annoying in the beginning. But the story did get better and I did start to like her mid way through the book. I enjoyed Ben and getting to know him better. If you love enemies to lovers, family drama, destination romance, fake dating. I think this would be a great book for you

Such a cute book! Enemies to lovers, fake dating, all the things that I love!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!

Gemma needs a date for her family wedding in Italy. She asks a friend to help her find a blind date except it turns out to be her work nemesis Ben. They surprisingly like each other after spending time time together...

Gemma really needs Ben's help so badly. She's a pushover and is treated so badly by her own family... I like how Ben helps her... A fun romance with depth.

Thanks to the publisher for the arc.

Gemma hates Ben. He has just gotten the promotion she was going for and she feels like she can't catch a break. Everytime she sees his smug face she wants to punch him. To make matters worse, she was just invited to her step sister's wedding across the globe and her boyfriend doesn't want to join her. She needs a date because.. family.. and so she entrusts her friend to find her a stand in.
When she gets to the airport to find, none other than Ben, waiting for her as her date, things go from bad to worse. How will she survive this week with him and is he really as bad as she thinks.
I loved Ben, I loved him from the start. Even if the book was written from Gemma's POV, you could feel how much Ben just wanted to be there for Gemma and it was sweet. Gemma's relationship with her boyfriend back home annoyed me and anyone could see that wasn't going to last and that she had to embrace what was right in front of her. Everything she has ever wanted, and more.
I feel like this book was very similar to another workplace romance we all know and love. There were elements that were different, but at it's core it was pretty close. I feel like the way it was written wasn't what I was used to and I think that it was just the author wasn't from the United States so that is not going to affect my review. 3.5 stars rounded up because Ben gave me all the butterflies at the end.
Thanks to Harper Collins UK, Netgalley and Kate Mathieson for an early copy.

When book editor Gemma’s boyfriend Adam refuses to attend her younger half-sister’s wedding in Italy, her friend finds her a stand-in Adam. To her horror its her workplace nemesis Ben, the golden boy who got the chief editor promotion over her.

This was such a fun book that I breezed right through it. Gemma is a massive people pleaser who can’t say no to people taking advantage of her. The only person she has no trouble with asserting herself with is Ben, who irked her when he first arrived at their company. Ben was such a sweetheart and its clear liked her from the beginning, but she was too blinded to see that every time she thought he was riling her up, he was being supportive. It’s frustrating to watch Gemma let her family and colleagues steamroll over her repeatedly and in some respects, I wish this was resolved just a bit earlier as the ending felt a bit rushed. I normally don’t need an epilogue but in this instance it would’ve been great to see how cured Gemma was from her people pleasing into the future.

Thoroughly enjoyable and I look forward to future books from this author.

Thanks to HarperCollins UK/One More Chapter and NetGalley for the ARC.

𐙚 Fake Dating
𐙚 Enemies-to-Lovers
𐙚 Heartfelt Romance

The Wedding Date Disaster by Kate Mathieson was a fun rom-com. Gemma, a perpetual people-pleaser, is thrown into chaos when she’s coerced into attending a family wedding with her infuriating work rival, Ben, as her last-minute date. What unfolds is a journey of self-discovery, heartfelt moments, and swoon-worthy romance as Gemma begins to reclaim her life and see Ben in a whole new light. Gemma’s journey through struggles and breakthroughs felt authentic and satisfying. I enjoyed Ben’s balance of cocky and caring. I enjoyed the lightheartedness of the romance. Definitely a recommended read.

Rating: ✰✰✰.5 /5

Thank you for providing me with an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own. ・❥・

While I really liked this book- I feel like o need to give fair warning that there is a lot of micro/macro bullying, taking advantage of someone and what seems like main character depression/disassociation about it.
Which I didn’t really realizing going in and I want those who read it to know that.
However, it is a great book.
The main character as you can guess goes through some big break throughs, it takes her awhile, she really goes through it.
But she has support from the most unlikely of source.
And in the end is on a path to get everything she has ever wanted and more.

The best part is the author didn’t try to pretty up the ending, not everyone changed for the better. Some didn’t deserve a happy ending and didn’t get it. Honestly. I loved that.
Not everyone is meant to stay in our lives and sometimes even those we love need to be cut off
Growing up is realizing that and following through.

‘The Wedding Date Disaster’ by Kate Mathieson was a great blend of self discovery, family dynamic, and yummy romance.

Read if you enjoy:
*** Enemies to Lovers
*** Workplace romance
*** Destination wedding - I mean, all of us want to go to Tuscany!
*** Family dynamics
*** A “So handsome it hurts” MMC

Although I usually steer away from the novels where the female lead is the “people pleaser,” that gets treated horribly and makes you cringe while reading, I stuck this one out cuz something about Gemma kept me in it. I was rooting for her to break out of that loop of misery, and enjoyed the way that everything turned out.

But the best part of this novel is hands down our Ben. Perfect male lead, gave me all the feels. Gives “how is this man real” type of vibes, but in a wonderful way. And that mud scene? Goosebumps! Blushing all around.

I really enjoyed this one, and would definitely read future novels from this author.

Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for the ARC of this novel; all opinions are my own.

A perpetual people pleaser slowly finds there is more out there than making everyone else happy at her own expense, both career and romantic. Coerced to a nightmare family wedding with her work nemesis is the least of her trials! But of course we get an eventual HEA, and a few surprises along the way.

3.5 stars

The Wedding Date Disaster is a quick and easy read, a good escape for a few hours.
I loved Ben, and empathised with Gemma over her people-pleaser ways. I thought these two matched up perfectly: Gemma was very much herself when with Ben.
For someone who loves angst, I feel like this story had so much potential for it. However it just touched upon that, and did not go all the way - perfect for readers who love a tiny bit of angst.
One thing that was kinda frustrating was the fact that Gemma had a boyfriend: I felt like the boyfriend, that she had up until the very last pages of the story, was very unnecessary. He didn't contribute to the story at all, and could have been left out.

Thank you to the publisher for the ARC via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Gemma trabaja en una editorial donde pensaba que recibiría un ascenso, pero al final fue su rival, Ben, quien lo obtuvo. A pesar de sus esfuerzos por ser la mejor y ayudar a todos, nada le sale bien.
Cuando tiene que viajar a Italia para la boda de su hermana, su novio no puede acompañarla por motivos laborales, por lo que le pide a una amiga que le consiga a alguien que se haga pasar por su novio. La persona que acepta ayudarla resulta ser Ben. Durante su estadía en Italia, ambos descubrirán nuevas facetas el uno del otro y cambiarán sus opiniones sobre el otro.

El libro tenía todos los elementos para que me gustara, excepto por dos cosas:
1. La personalidad de Ben. Es de esas personas que le caen bien a todos, pero te preguntas por qué, ya que constantemente critica a los demás con comentarios que disfraza de bromas. Aunque se muestra que también tiene un lado bueno y sus acciones se explican, no fue suficiente para perdonar cómo trató a Gemma.
2. La infidelidad. Durante el 93% del libro, Gemma está de novia con Adam, pero se enamora de Ben y se besan varias veces, sin que a ella le importe engañar a su novio. Puedo entender que no vea la infidelidad como algo grave, dado que proviene de una familia en la que su padre desapareció de un día para otro para irse con su amante, y luego regresó con ella y su bebé como si nada, para quedarse a vivir con Gemma y su mamá. En lugar de echarlos, su madre decidió servirles, y cuando la amante se fue, perdonó al esposo.
Adam no era el mejor novio, pero no se merecía eso.


Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Gemma is living her perfect life. She’s dating a kind and practical man, and she’s up for a promotion for a Chief Editor position at her company. Everything is going great - until she’s passed over for her work nemesis, Ben McDonald. On top of that, she doesn’t have a plus one to her half-sister’s destination wedding in Italy when her boyfriend is unable to go because of work. When her friend offers to find her a blind date to pretend to be her boyfriend, she jumps at the chance. That is until she realizes her fake boyfriend is none other than her nemesis, Ben. It’s too late to turn back, so the two play nice and decide to enter the charade. Set against the romantic backdrop of Tuscany, Gemma begins to realize there’s more to Ben than meets the eye. But will she give up stable and reliable for the chance at true love?

Gemma means well, but it was really painful witnessing her be a doormat for everyone. Her boss takes her for granted, her boyfriend doesn’t truly accept her as she is, and her family treats her horribly. It’s hard to root for a heroine that doesn’t seem to root for herself. When Ben tries to point out the ways her family takes advantage of her, she stubbornly sticks to her guns of wanting to take care of others. In fact, there’s a moment where she’s literally taking care of wedding duties for her ungrateful sister while she’s battling the stomach flu. I know she’s meant to grow as a character and gain a backbone, but it was painful watching her get there.

I very much enjoyed her scenes with Ben. The banter was witty and there was definitely some heat between the two. I found Ben to be straightforward, but kind. He truly cares for Gemma and wants the real her to shine through. He champions her and wants to stick up for her, if she will only allow him the chance. To be honest, I don’t think Gemma having a boyfriend was necessary. It didn’t really add to the plot. I think the story would have still worked if she made up a boyfriend.

Overall it was a quick and enjoyable read.

A beautiful Italian setting. A wedding. Romance and laughs and tears. I enjoyed this story and needed to see what the outcome would be for the main characters. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I loved every minute of this book! The anticipation and the dialogue kept me hooked every step of the way. It felt natural and true to life in what we all know is a love story so I appreciated it a great deal.

This book has possibly one of the very best anticipatory kisses I have ever had the longing to read! Throw in a Tuscan landscape, some classic enemies to lovers and controversial yellow bunting and you have yourself a truly marvellous romantic romp that is perfect to cwtch up with. I defy anyone not to fall in love with Ben. Highly recommend!