Confetti, cake, the first dance. It’s no surprise weddings are a common feature in romance novels. But throw in some family drama, secret affairs, and even murder, and you’ve got a whole new reading list to enjoy!
We've picked out 12 books to keep you entertained during peak wedding season. From a fun romance featuring a raucous game of wedding bingo, to a tense crime thriller set on a windswept island just hours after the nuptials.
Click on the titles to say ‘I do’ to one of these books today.
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Literary fiction
The Wedding People – Alison Espach
Phoebe Stone arrives at a grand beachside hotel in Rhode Island wearing her best dress and least comfortable shoes. Immediately she is mistaken for one of the wedding people - but she's actually the only guest at the Cornwall Inn who isn't here for the big event.
When the bride discovers her elaborate destination wedding could be ruined by a divorced and depressed stranger, she is furious. She has spent months accounting for every detail and every possible disaster - except for, well, Phoebe . . . Soon, both women find their best-laid plans derailed and an unlikely confidante in one another.
Love Marriage – Monica Ali
Yasmin Ghorami has a lot to be grateful for: a loving family, a fledgling career in medicine, and a charming, handsome fiancee, fellow doctor Joe Sangster.
But as the wedding day draws closer and Yasmin's parents get to know Joe's firebrand feminist mother, both families must confront the unravelling of long-held secrets, lies and betrayals.
As Yasmin dismantles her own assumptions about the people she holds most dear, she's also forced to ask herself what she really wants in a relationship and what a 'love marriage' actually means.
Three Days in June – Anne Tyler
It’s the day before her daughter’s wedding and things are not going well for Gail Baines. First thing, she loses her job – or quits, depending who you ask. Then her ex-husband Max turns up at her door expecting to stay for the festivities. He doesn’t even have a suit. Instead, he’s brought memories, a shared sense of humour – and a cat looking for a new home.
Just as Gail is wondering what’s next, their daughter Debbie discovers her groom has been keeping a secret…
As the big day dawns, the exes just can’t agree on what’s best for Debbie. Gail is seriously worried, while Max seems more concerned with whether to opt for the salmon or prime rib at the reception, if they make it that far.
The day after the wedding, Gail and Max prepare to go their separate ways again. But all the questions about the future of the happy couple have stirred up the past for Gail. Because ‘happy’ takes many forms, and sometimes the younger generation has much to teach the older about secrets, acceptance and taking the rough with the smooth.
Crime/Thrillers
The Last One at the Wedding - Jason Rekulak
Frank Szatowski hasn't seen his daughter Maggie in years, and it breaks his heart every day. So when she calls him out of the blue, to tell him that she's getting married and he's invited, Frank is overjoyed.
Maggie is marrying into one of the richest families in the country, and Frank finds himself overwhelmed by the social circle she now moves in. He'll do anything to reconnect, though, and arrives at their New Hampshire estate ready to bond however he can with Maggie's in-laws.
But as the wedding weekend gets underway, it becomes clear to Frank that although they have spared no expense, there's something strange about Maggie's fiancé. And maybe Frank shouldn't be celebrating just yet...
So Happy For You – Celia Laskey
Robin and Ellie have been best friends since childhood. They've been through everything, from Robin coming out to the death of Ellie's dad. But when Ellie asks Robin to be her maid of honour, Robin is reluctant.
It's not that Robin isn't happy for Ellie, she just hates everything about weddings - plus the guy Ellie's engaged to. There's also the crazy (not to mention dangerous) wedding rituals that couples are resorting to in the hope of securing a lifetime of happiness.
Despite her misgivings, Robin finally says yes. But as the wedding day approaches, she realises Ellie is willing to do anything for the perfect day. After all, marriage is about sacrifice…
The Guest List – Lucy Foley
On an island off the windswept Irish coast, guests gather for the wedding of the year - the marriage of Jules Keegan and Will Slater.
Old friends. Past grudges.
Happy families. Hidden jealousies.
Thirteen guests. One body.
The wedding cake has barely been cut when one of the guests is found dead. And as a storm unleashes its fury on the island, everyone is trapped. All have a secret. All have a motive. One guest won't leave this wedding alive...
Comedy/Romance
The Wedding Game – Elle Cook
It started as a dare…
Best friends Lexie and Scarlet are attending their ninth – or is it tenth? – wedding this summer. To keep things fresh, they've upped their game. With bingo. To win, all Lexie must do is complete her scorecard first.
A tipsy bridesmaid? Tick!
An awkward best man's speech? Tick!
A terrible DJ? Tick!
And finally: Kiss a groomsman…
But Lexie hasn't gambled on finding not one but two gorgeous groomsmen. Chris, tall, dark and handsome – and leaving for New York tonight – and charmingly rugged farmer Josh.
True love could be on the cards. If Lexie can make the right choice, right now…
An Island Wedding – Jenny Colgan
Olivia and Anthony are planning A Very Extravagant Wedding at the newest hotel on the tiny Scottish island of Mure. They're flying in chefs, musicians and something called a living flower wall... and no one is even allowed to think the word bridezilla.
Flora is trying - and failing - not to let Olivia and Anthony's wedding distract her from planning her own big day with Joel. But the couple have wildly different ideas about how to celebrate and somehow, just when their relationship should be plain sailing, everything is suddenly very hard indeed.
And then there's Lorna and Saif. The local headmistress and the GP desperately keeping their relationship a secret to protect his sons. But while they're looking out for the boys, who's looking out for them?
Three couples. One midsummer's night. Can everyone get their happy ever after?
The Engagement Arrangement – Jaci Burton
Brenna Bellini is never going to get married again.
She's thrilled to be her friend's bridesmaid though - that is, until she realizes who else is in the wedding party. Brenna's going to have to spend four days in the company of not only her ex-husband, but also her high school nemesis. There's no way she'll let the fact she's single be rubbed in her face all weekend. She's going to find herself a fake fiancé.
Finn Nolan has had it bad for Brenna ever since he came from Ireland to work at the Bellini family vineyard. After falling for Brenna from afar, this Irish cowboy is determined to take the chance to show the woman of his dreams that he is her Mr Right.
So what does a confirmed never-getting-married-again woman do when the man of her dreams unexpectedly lands right in front of her? Because for the first time, she might not be able to walk away. This time it might be forever.
Non fiction
Penguin’s Poems for Weddings – Laura Barber
For the many thousands of readers who each year go through the complex mix of thrill and trauma that is the planning of a marriage ceremony, Laura Barber's anthology presents an unusual selection of poems suitable for reading out loud and which celebrate and encapsulate in all our bewildering diversity how we wish to express our deepest feelings.
Flower Porn: Recipes for Modern Bouquets, Tablescapes & Displays – Kaiva Kaimins
Bold, modern and more than a little bit cheeky, 'Flower Porn' ditches the traditional floral bouquets for designer arrangements that you can recreate at home. Kai Kaimins, founder of East London florist My Lady Garden, shows you how to fill your home or office with eye-catching, Instagram-worthy arrangements. By following her flower recipes, you'll unlock the secrets of colour theory and get up close and personal with a huge array of blooms, season by season.
Crafting a Meaningful Wedding Ceremony – Jeltje Gordon-Lennox
A succinct and engaging guide to creating a unique wedding ceremony that reflects the couple's love and makes sense to their families and friends. Specific tools include questionnaires, checklists and a specially designed ritual toolbox for writing tailor-made texts and crafting secular wedding rituals.
