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

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.

Some of the best tension that I’ve ever read! The enemies to lovers trope was STRONG in this book. If you like witty back and forth and heavy will they won’t they vibes, then this one is for you!

Ben is definitely on my list for best book boyfriend. I would’ve loved a rated R version of this book.

Gemma’s own personal growth journey made the ending of the book even more satisfying.

4.5/5

DNF at 23%

I'm officially giving up on this book. I just realised that Ben is supposed to be the MMC. This horrible, awful, sexist assh*le is not redeemable, I can tell you that one for free.

I tried - I really tried since this is a ARC and I hate not giving a fully informed review, but I truly cannot bring myself to keep reading. Gemma, the FMC, is an absolute doormat and I really hope she finds a backbone at some point in the story... I'm just not going to be there to read it.

The premise of The Wedding Date Disaster intrigued me—rivals to lovers, fake dating—but the book lost some points due to questionable actions from Gemma and Ben while Gemma was still in a relationship, and a rushed ending that left me with questions and fell a little flat. Despite this, I enjoyed the banter and tension, character development, and workplace rivals to lovers vibe. It also had some good emotional depth.

It’s reminiscent of The Hating Game, and if you enjoyed that you’ll likely enjoy this too!

3.5/5 ⭐️
1/5 🌶
Thanks to Netgalley and One more Chapter for the ARC of "The Wedding Date Disaster" by Kate Mathieson.
This was a fun read and I highly enjoyed the Italian setting even though I would have loved more of it and more of an exploring aspect of Tuscany.
At the start of the book I didn't like either character, I felt like Gemma was a bit too much of a people pleaser and Ben was just rude, but as the story progressed the characters really grew on me. I loved Ben and the way he took care of Gemma, but I would have loved to see some more character development from Gemma earlier in the story, I felt like it took her a long time to realise that she couldn't keep saying yes to everyone and not taking care of her own needs.
I would highly recommend this if you want a fun and cute read with great banter and a great setting, just be aware that there is aspects of the cheating trope in this story.

First, thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was very excited for this one based off the premise as I love fake dating & enemies to lovers. I liked the FMC (though she could have had a bit more backbone) as well as the MMC. I thought they had good chemistry and enjoyed their banter.

As far as the negative, I do think the writing was a bit juvenile and some of the scenes were a bit silly. Also, I've never seen so many horrid people in a single book. Gemma should just go no contact with her family, but I digress. I was glad to see there was some good communication and improvement by the end.

Overall, I enjoyed this one. Execution could have been a little bit better which would bring it up to 4 stars. Recommend to fans of "The Hating Game" for sure.