The Wedding Date Disaster by Kate R. Mathieson is a charming blend of romance, humour, and self-discovery that delivers everything you could want in an enemies-to-lovers story. With its picturesque Italian setting and a cast of relatable characters, this novel strikes the perfect balance between heartfelt moments and laugh-out-loud banter.

Gemma Evans is a relatable and endearing protagonist. Her struggles with career setbacks and navigating family expectations make her journey feel authentic. Watching her evolve from someone who feels stuck in life to someone who finds her voice and her worth was incredibly satisfying.

The dynamic between Gemma and Ben is where the book truly shines. Their witty, tension-filled exchanges as workplace rivals evolve into something deeper over the course of the wedding weekend. Ben’s layers are gradually revealed, transforming him from Gemma’s nemesis into a genuinely kind and charming love interest. The fake-dating trope is executed to perfection, with plenty of swoon-worthy moments and just the right amount of spice to keep things interesting.

The lush Italian backdrop adds to the story’s appeal, immersing readers in a romantic atmosphere. The family dramas are both humorous and heartfelt, giving depth to the secondary characters and enhancing the story’s emotional weight.

While the romance is delightful, the pacing occasionally felt uneven, with some parts of the plot dragging slightly before picking up again. Additionally, a few of the family dynamics could have been explored further to give them even more impact.

Overall, The Wedding Date Disaster is a fun, heartfelt read that I found was just what I needed. With its mix of fake dating, destination romance, and personal growth, this book will leave you smiling and rooting for Gemma and Ben to find their happily-ever-after.

This was such a charming rom-com that had me laughing from start to finish. Gemma was an incredibly lovable character, and I found myself really rooting for her. The Tuscan setting was wonderful to visualize as well and makes me want to take my own trip to Italy

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins for the advanced copy!

Here’s your review with polished grammar while keeping your personality intact:

This is the kind of book you read and can totally picture as a fun romantic comedy movie! I couldn’t stop imagining who I’d cast as the main characters. If you started off hating Ben like I did, please keep reading—you won’t regret it!

Gemma, the protagonist, is up for her dream job, but her coworker Ben swoops in and steals the position. Not only does he take the job, but he’s also ridiculously cocky about it, making him incredibly unlikeable at first.

Gemma needs a date to her sister’s wedding in Italy and doesn’t want to show up alone, dreading her family’s judgment. She asks a friend to set her up on a blind date, and of course, it turns out to be Ben!

I couldn’t put this book down—it was so funny and full of surprises. I really hope they make it into a movie. And I need Liam Hemsworth as the hunky Australian Ben!

It’s a cutesy fake date romance without hardly any spice. Both rivals at work but when FMC needs a fake date for her sister’s wedding the MMC becomes her date. It’s a nice short read but these two were oblivious to things the whole time.

3.5 stars. Thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for the E-ARC. This was such a easy read. Gemma ever the people pleaser is off to Italy for her sisters wedding her BF Adam doesnt go so she decides that she needs someone to pretend to be her BF rather than telling her family he couldnt go. Somehow her work nemesis is the one that is her "fake BF" and then she starts to see a different side of him and we see so much more of why Gemma is the way that she is.

DNF @ 50%

This, this felt like a bit of a struggle.
I really wanted to like this, as The Hating Game and The Spanish Love Deception are two favourites of mine, but this just completely missed for me.
Both Gemma and Ben felt entirely immature to me, both calling each other names and taunting each other to an extent where it went way beyond the flirting limit. Also, Gemma's family was straight-up bullying her for the majority of the wedding festivities.

No this went beyond fun and just felt awkward and uncomfortable to read. I'm sure a lot of people will love this book, but it wasn't for me.

"The Wedding Date Disaster" by Kate Mathieson blends enemies-to-lovers tension, fake dating antics, and the charm of an Italian destination wedding. With a relatable protagonist, compelling romance, and heartfelt moments of self-discovery, this book will appeal to fans of "The Spanish Love Deception" and "The Hating Game."

Gemma Evans is a consummate people-pleaser who finds her world spiraling when her promotion is stolen by her workplace nemesis, Ben McDonald. Add a family wedding in Tuscany and a blind date that turns out to be—you guessed it—Ben, and the stage is set for chaos, hilarity, and sparks to fly. The book doesn’t shy away from tackling deeper issues, such as toxic family dynamics and workplace competition, but it does so with a lightness that keeps the story engaging and fun. The romantic tension adds to the overall story in a way that is very well done.

A heartfelt thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins UK, and Kate Mathieson for this delightful read—I can’t wait to see what Mathieson writes next!

Seems weird to hire a fake boyfriend for your sister’s wedding when you have a real boyfriend who just can’t make it.

The characters are in their thirties in this book but it read very YA.

DNF @ 33%
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy to review. All thoughts are my own.

I tried to give this a fair go, but immediately from the beginning, I couldn't stand Gemma, the main protagonist. This is a corporate woman who called her nemesis Weasel to his face, is dramatic, judgmental, and wholly immature that I couldn't find her relatable and failed to gain interest in her career and personal woes. Ben isn't much better, and the amount of "Oh, Gemma"/"Now, Gemma" he deployed is tediously repetitive at best.

The Wedding Date Disaster comes across as if The Spanish Love Deception and The Hating Game had a baby, but a poorer attempt of both. I'm not one to DNF books often, but I am not the right reader to enjoy this, so instead of enduring to the end and giving it a low rating, I've chosen to step away from this very predictable, and sadly lacklustre, read.

This is a cute romcom that almost every reader can relate to one challenge the main character is going through. I like how it really wasn’t a spicy romance until right at the end. Having the story take place in Italy and during a wedding weekend really helped set the mood.

This was a great fake dating story with the added plus of an Italian backdrop. It was a quick, fun, and entertaining read. I loved the banter between Gemma and Ben. The relationship that developed between them had great tension and build up. There were times I wished Gemma would stand up for herself but when she did it was worth the wait.

I will always love a book that is set in a “book setting” and this one was no exception. I loved that both main characters loved books. And Italy!!! What a great setting. This was such a cute read, I devoured it quickly.

A very special thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I truly enjoyed the enemies to lovers vibes in this book! Its my favorite trope and it didn’t disappoint.
Also really enjoyed that I actually couldn’t quite figure Ben out and it took me some time to fully understand his point of view and why he acted the way he did. I loved that he supported her through her struggles with her family and also stood up for her bc she hasn’t known this type of support in a partner.
I appreciated Gemmas character development so much and I could relate to some of her struggles regarding her family as well. The family plot line was quite confusing in the beginning but after a while I understood why she is distancing herself from her family but also loved that they all found their way back together and set some boundaries,

All in all, a lovely read! Would recommend <3

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
I received an ARC of this book. Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collin’s

What I loved:
- the banter between the two main characters was fantastic
- the MCs had their own struggles and we’re weaved into the plot nicely
- quirky MCs and side characters
- The setting (Tuscany!!)
- the spice
- easy to read and bingeable

That didn’t work for me:
- the first half of the book just felt a bit disjointed
- the enemies to lovers trope was overdone

Overall a solid read and perfect for summer!

A cute quick read, perfect for summer! Enjoyed Ben and Gemma, wish we got more time with them as a couple.

I wasn't certain at the beginning that I would enjoy this book, as Ben seemed to be such a horrible person, however I was glad I pushed through until he began to redeem his character and I actually started to like him as he became her advocate in helping her see that she deserved to be treated better by her family and work. Gemma and Ben's chemistry was great and I loved the sarcastic banter. An entertaining read overall.

I wasn't certain at the beginning that I would enjoy this book, as Ben seemed to be such a horrible person, however I was glad I pushed through until he began to redeem his character and I actually started to like him as he became her advocate in helping her see that she deserved to be treated better by her family and work. Gemma and Ben's chemistry was great and I loved the sarcastic banter. An entertaining read overall.

This book? Pure chemistry. It's like a dance between wit and heart, and boy, does it know the steps. It's a laugh-out-loud, cry-in-your-coffee kind of tale that just sweeps you off your feet. Every chapter is a new dance move, a fresh step in the story that keeps you twirling 'til the end. If you're hunting for a read that feels like falling in love on a summer

A surprisingly nuanced romantic comedy! Gemma is a people-pleaser that finds herself in need of a wedding date and she's surprised when her blind date ends up being her work rival Ben McDonald. Enemies-to-Lovers is always a challenging trope, and Ben was definitely a true rival for the first quarter of the book. I've seen readers complain recently about how E2L romances lack that enemy-sharpness, but these two were really snappy and antagonizing! Luckily, this romance develops and you fall for both Gemma and Ben.

For fans of The Hating Game, this has a similar flavor, while set in Tuscany.

Special thanks to HarperCollins UK and NetGalley for the ARC!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The premise of the story brought me in, and it was easy to read.

The FMC, Gemma, is a big people pleaser but then gets walked all over my her family and coworkers. She is a little socially awkward, doesn’t seem to wear the right fashionable clothes, and wants to run away in embarrassing in awkward situations she finds herself in. She also finds it hard to believe that a very handsome man would ever be truly interested in her or even flirting with her. Overall, I found her very easy to relate to!

The MMC, Ben, seemed a bit flat at first, and constantly optimistic for no reason, probably since the book is written from Gemma’s point of view, and she resists getting to really know him for most of the book.

There were sweet romantic aspects and buildups of feelings, but not a lot of spice, which I thought worked ok for this story. However, the ending kind of fell together quickly, and it would have been nice to expand on their relationship once they were officially a couple - like hear about their future plans back in Sydney and how they planned to work together after getting back.

Overall, I would recommend this book and any others by this author! Thank you to NetGalley and One More Chapter for the ARC and the chance to read and review this book.