Reviews

Four Weddings to Fall in Love by Jackie Lau

diva007's review

funny medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

amyreadsandsails's review

4.0

There are so many things to enjoy about this book: a startchy hero! A one night stand that goes badly! A herione that sleeps around and is confident in bed! There's

spanking and consensual degradation talk

. Both the MCs are Asian and in their 30s. Reproductive health talk (the FMC has

had an abortion in the past

)! Jackie has a unique writing style, easy to read, and this is a perfect example.

maggie_mcgeans's review

lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

jillottaway's review

lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.25

naturally_caffeinated_reader's review

4.0

What happens when a wild one night stand is just not what you were hoping for... imagine the nightmare of running into the same guy 3 more times at various weddings.. anyone who's had a one night stand knows that it's imperfect and when neither shares their likes dislikes it's hard to be on same playing field.. definitely relatable book. I loved gow reluctant pur FMC was yet was drawn to our MMC....

We get
*anxiety rep
*good girl
* one night stand
*she falls first
*spicy
*tons of Toronto/games references
*hope these places exist the bars and restaurants sound incredible

Not sure how Jackie writes so many books but i am here for it. I appriciate the asian and canadian rep.lookinf forward to the next books innthis series

nelsonseye's review

4.0

Four Weddings to Fall in Love was as great intro to [a:Jackie Lau|17814757|Jackie Lau|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1521036145p2/17814757.jpg]'s new series. The romance was good and I liked the development of the relationship, but I really appreciated, as usual, Lau's exploration of family dynamics and the challenges women, and sometimes men, face with their partners' families and responsibilities. I was wondering how a certain element would play out, and, while the fallout will probably be huge, I am very interested in reading the next book in the series.

scribblinaway's review

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

3.25

viceversounding's review

medium-paced

2.0

malin12ccf's review

funny lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

 Max Mok meets Kim Sun at a wedding and is smitten with her from the first. She clearly likes him enough to invite him to her hotel room after the reception, but Max isn't really used to one-night-stands and the encounter doesn't really go very well. Kim is left unsatisfied and Max is mortified. At least they're unlikely to ever have to meet again, to relive the awkwardness.

Except it turns out that Kim and her family are close friends with Max' cousins, three of whom are getting married later in the summer, and Max and Kim will keep being thrown together, by fate and meddling family members. Can Max persuade Kim that he deserves another chance, both in the bedroom and possibly as a longer-term partner?

It's quite refreshing to have a hero who's not super confident and a smooth and charming ladies man who always delivers in the bedroom. I suspect more people have slightly underwhelming first encounters, especially if, like in Max and Kim's situation, they had vastly different expectations to how the night was going to go and neither felt comfortable enough with the other to actually talk about what they wanted and needed. A lot of the things Kim really wants from a lover were things that Max' previous girlfriend didn't like, and Kim didn't actually speak up about the fact that Max left her unsatisfied, but rather rolled over and pretended to be asleep.

Rather than being oblivious, Max is very willing to admit his mistakes and absolutely wants to prove himself to Kim and learn what she wants and needs. Once again, a vulnerable and dedicated hero is refreshing, and the reader really roots for Max to get Kim to forgive him.

Kim wants to settle for one-night stands and casual sex because she was badly burned by previous relationships. Her previous boyfriend had a very nosy, overbearing, and critical mother, and never defended Kim in disagreements. It left Kim feeling abandoned and unappreciated, and since she seems to always end up with men who choose their family over her, she's pretty much decided to stay unattached from now on. She likes Max, but the fact that he has a large family and seems close to his parents makes her worried she's just going to end up repeating her destructive pattern.

Max, on the other hand, broke up with his last girlfriend once he realised that she didn't really love or desire him, he was just a convenient partner she could settle down with. He comes to understand Kim's misgivings, but doesn't really initially have the confidence to believe someone as great as her would ever even consider him as a long-term partner.

Jackie Lau doesn't really do insta-love romances. Her characters have flaws and insecurities and usually have to work with their love interest to find out how their happy ever after is going to look. Even when they don't knock my socks off, they are always good reads. In this one, there is clearly some setup for future novels, but Max' family are fun supporting characters and I am looking forward to seeing which other weddings the Moks will be involved in.

This was an ARC that I received from the author. It has not affected my opinions or swayed me in any way, although I will say that I also pre-ordered the book and paid for a copy with my own money, because Jackie Lau is a worthy auto-buy contender. 

Judging a book by its cover: I'm a member of a Facebook group in which Ms. Lau is also a member. There was a preview of completely different cover art for this book (I think it may have been AI generated). I don't entirely remember what it looked like, but this cover is so much better, and really simple, yet fun. I love the sparkly shoe and the discarded tie. The image is playful. 

leia_13's review

funny lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25