Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Save The Date by Mary Kay Andrews - Guest Review

Save The Date by Mary Kay Andrews
Published June 2014 by St. Martin's Press
Source: my copy courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review

*When this book was pitched to me, I didn't even take a minute to decide whether or not I wanted to read it because I knew my sister would be the better person to read and review it. She loves books set in the coastal south and had just been to Savannah. Not only that, it seemed like a great beach read and she was headed to the beach!

Publisher's Summary:
A Savannah florist is about to score the wedding of a lifetime—one that will solidify her career as the go-to-girl for society nuptials. Ironically, Cara Kryzik doesn't believe in love, even though she creates beautiful flower arrangements to celebrate them. But when the bride goes missing and the wedding is in jeopardy, Cara must find the bride and figure out what she believes in. Maybe love really does exist outside of fairy tales after all.


My Sister's Thoughts:
Save The Date combined several of the things that draw me most into a story. I have a great interest in the old southern coastal communities, weddings, dogs, and romance. This book brought all of those things together.

I felt that Mary Kay Andrews did a wonderful job of introducing the different individuals in the story line, building on their stories, and making them relatable and the story line believable. From the lead in the story, Cara the struggling flower shop manager, to Bert her assistant whose motives are questioned, to Sylvia Bradley the grumpy old piano teacher who owns the building where Cara lives and works, to the society women of Savannah, Andrews provides great detail. It was easy to identify just what my image of each person in the book was. I liked that it was an easy read but the story line took some unexpected twists and turns that helped keep it a bit unpredictable.

What I didn't like, it seemed to me that as she wrapped up her story, Andrews cut corners, as if she had committed herself to a particular number of pages or chapters and it felt as if the ending was rushed. I felt a bit cheated out of knowing 'the rest of the story'.

Thanks to my sister for sharing her thoughts on the latest from Mary Kay Andrews. Sounds like her fans will enjoy this one, even if the ending is a bit disappointing.

3 comments:

  1. I wish I could talk my husband into writing a review or two for me. He hasn't been reading much lately though, and so I'm sure that is part of the reason he won't take me up on my offer. :-)

    I have never read anything by Mary Kay Andrews before, but I know the name well. It sounds like this one had a lot going for it even despite the ending.

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  2. I've been wanting to read this one since I started seeing it everywhere lately! It sounds like a good read even though that's too bad about the ending. I hate when I'm really invested in the story and then don't quite get the ending I was looking for. I'll be prepared going into this one. Thanks for sharing!

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  3. Great review! The book sounds great except for the ending. I find a lot of authors have trouble with endings. They either act like a lover who has fallen for someone new and start finishing up too quickly without resolving things they laid out for us, or they drag it out waaaaaay beyond the point of death.

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