The Paris Wedding by Charlotte Nash

After reading the blurb, I thought The Paris Wedding by Charlotte Nash would be about the main character, Rachael, putting her past behind her and finding love in Paris. In other words, a beach read that is heavy on the romance. Boy was I wrong. It is really about a young woman finding her place in the world.

Rachael West has been caring for her mother for the past ten years, ever since she was diagnosed with a rare form of MS. Rachael has sacrificed going to college, a career and her first love, all to care for and watch as her mother slowly succumbs to the disease. Just after her Mother has passed away, she receives a wedding invitation to Matthew’s, her high school sweetheart, wedding. He is marrying Bonnie Quinn, the daughter of a billionaire and the wedding is in Paris with all expenses paid. 

Her first thought is no way is she going to this wedding because, despite the ten years that have passed, she is still in love with Matthew. After urging from her sister and friends, Rachael decides if she sees Matthew get married she will know he is gone from her life and can move forward at last.

The invitation includes a guest so Rachael asks her best friend Tess to go with her. Once they arrive in Paris, Rachael is awestruck by the opulence of it all and the money it must have taken to arrange this over-the-top wedding. Then she sees Matthew and she knows she should not have come and resolves to return home right away. Finally, after a discussion by phone with her sister, she decides to stick it out. She is determined that she and Tess make the most of this once in a lifetime trip. Of course, we all know what can happen to even the best laid plans…. and it does.

I mentioned at the first, the story, at its heart, is not a romance; yet, there is some of that too. Despite this, I would still put this book in the beach read category. Mainly because it was such an easy read and I breezed through it in one afternoon.

I loved the character of Rachael. Not only was she relatable, she was also believable and the author used her character to pull me into the story. I had such sympathy for her and at the same time I wanted to shake her to make her see the reality of the situation. When I feel this way about a character, I know the author has done her job well.

There was plenty of drama to keep the story moving along.  In addition, there were a couple of twists to the plot that I did not see coming, but in hind sight I should have. I think I got so caught up in the story I failed to read the signs. A true case of could not seeing the trees for the woods. This is another affirmation that the author was doing her job well.

Anyone who likes a good beach read will enjoy this one.

I received a free copy from the publisher, via Library Thing’s Early Reviewer program, in exchange for my honest opinion.