A novel about the build-up to an elaborate wedding and a bride whose scandalous past threatens to catch up with her just four days before the big event.

I picked this up in Flanagans last week and then went on holiday so I didn't have a chance to journal it until now. I can't believe I didn't see this one at the English Meetup!!! This is the only Madeleine Wickham that I haven't read (except one that is coming via a ring) and I was going to buy it in Edinburgh last week. Anyway...I am happy I caught it before I went away and could buy some other books instead :)

I will read this asap but it maybe a while as I have loads to read! I will most likely send this book on to one of my Bookcrosser friends who also enjoy Madeleine Wickham's books when I am finsihed with it.

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Synopsis
At the age of eighteen, in that first golden Oxford summer, Milly was up for anything. Rupert and his American lover Allan were all part of her new, exciting life, and when Rupert suggested to her that she and Allan should get married, just so that Allan could stay in the country, Milly didn't hesitate, and to make it seem real she dressed up in cheap wedding finery and posed on the steps of the registry office for photographs. Ten years later, Milly is a very different person. Engaged to Simon - who is wealthy, serious, and believes her to be perfect - she is facing the biggest and most elaborate wedding imaginable. Her mother has it planned to the finest detail, from the massive marquee to the sculpted ice swans filled with oysters. Her dreadful secret is locked away so securely she has almost persuaded herself that it doesn't exist - until, with only four days to go, her past catches up with her. Suddenly, her carefully constructed world is about to crash in ruins around her. How can she tell Simon she's already married? How can she tell her mother? But as the crisis develops, more secrets are revealed than Milly could possibly have realised...

This was one of the better Madeleine Wickham books and I am really happy to have caught this! I only have one more to go and then I have covered them all! I still find it hard to accept that this is the same author who writes as Sophie Kinsella! The style is so different!

I liked the story and the characters. The storyline kept me interested and there were a few little twists. I guessed who had been causing trouble for Milly but I didn't get who Isobel's man was until the last moment!

I can't wait for 'Shopoholic and Baby' coming in the New Year!!!

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I have decided to send this off as a Bookring!

Please make a journal entry as soon as you recieve the book and also when you send it to the next person. Then we know where the book is!

When you are finished with the book please PM the next person on the list and ask for their address so you can send it on to them!

Also let us know what you thought of the book but don't give too much away!

Please try and read and send this book on as within a month. I know that it isn't always possible so please if you need longer make a journal saying so. Then the others know that the book is not stalled. Thank you!

Lastly if you have nicer bookcrossing labels or stickers then decorate the book a little! Also stick a postcard from your country in with a message! Could be fun :)

This Bookring is still now closed!

Here are the participants so far -

1 - Mochagirl in the UK <-- Completed!
2 - janiemac75 in the UK <-- Completed!
3 - katybean in the UK <-- Completed!
4 - MystikNat in the UK <-- Completed!
5 - angellica in the UK <-- Completed!
6 - pepita-di-Corfu in Greece <-- Completed!
7 - em64 in Finland <-- Completed!
8 - Sidney1220 in the USA <-- Arrived 30/3/07
9 - sweetpea0678 in the USA
10 - Aramena in the USA
11 - sky34 in the USA
12 - star11-80 in the USA
13 - bluehawaii218 in the USA
14 - AuburnCaMom in the USA
15 - Fran-kinstein in Canada
16 - Juliet982 in Venezuela
17 - eloisamos in Brazil
18 - ababaigalit in Israel
19 - BOKWORMY in Portugal
20 - Back to me in Austria

The order may change to accommodate for the postal preferences of the ring members.

I would appreciate a PM from any participant who wants to leave the ring or be skipped for any reason. Please do not leave it to the last minute.

Yay! received yesterday - perfect timing cos I picked it up after my first exam, took me about an hour and a half to read - exactly what you need after an exam, right? ;)

Anyway, I enjoyed it as a good light read. But I feel pretty neutral about it, to be honest. I definitely didn't dislike it, but somehow I felt (both as I was reading it and when I got to the end) that it was really superficial. I know, I know, it's chicklit and it's not supposed to be deep and meaningful ;) And maybe it was just the after-exam factor. But somehow I felt like the storyline never really developed and neither did the characters. Which was a real shame, as the writing is good and both the story and the characters had potential!

But I'm also glad it wasn't longer, because as I said before, the timing was perfect as it was: I finished it just as it was getting dark, so I didn't have too late a night ;)

Anyway, I've sent jamiemac75 a PM to get a postal address and will post it sometime in the next week or so.

Thanks Amberkatze for the book, and I'm looking forward to seeing what other people think!

RELEASE NOTES:

Finally being sent on - apologies for the delay! Will be posted tomorrow.

Thank you Mochagirl. Sorry for the delay in journaling. The book arrived while I was on holiday, so its been sitting in the parcel office. I'm going to start it tonight.
Thank you for the extra book you included in the parcel, what a lovely surprise!

Thank you for sharing Amberkatze, I really enjoyed this book.
PMed katybean for address. The book will be back on its journey soon.

Hi,
Just to let you know that the book arrived safely this morning!!

I have a couple of books ahead of it, but shouldn't take me long to get to!

Many thanks, I'll just go and cross this one off my wishlist :o)
Katybean

I have just finished reading this, and wanted to say firstly how much better than the other 'Madeleine Wickham' books this is! This is more like Sophie Kinsella - but nowhere near as good LOL.

I loved the characters, and that they all had their own mini story in this other than Milly.

I love a happy ending, and wasn't disappointed with this one.

I have MystikNat's address, so will post it out in the next couple of days.
Thanks for sharing this one.

Katybean

Thanks, adding it to my TBR list and will read it once I finish my current read next week. :o)

Rather enjoyed this more than a couple of the Madeleine Wickham's I've read in the past. Nice and quick read, with a good few twists along the way! :oD

Off to PM angellica for her address.

RELEASE NOTES:

On it's way to Angelica - sorry for the slight delay - hope you enjoy the read! :oD

Arrived safely today. Thanks for sharing

Arrived safely today. Thanks for sharing

arrived today. getting down to it straight away

Just finished reading the book! I find it better than the other Madeleine Wickham books i've read but, as i've said in the past, i prefer her as Sophie Kinsella. I would like to write more about the book, but then i'd spoil the story for the next readers, right? I'm now PMing the next participant in line to get an address.

RELEASE NOTES:

off to the next reader in Finland.
enjoy reading em64!

The book arrived yesterday, will start reading it at the weekend. Looks like relaxing reading, just perfect after a hectic week at work.

Quick and entertaining read, just perfect to get me back to the normal reading pace after a slower period. I did like the story, though some storylines were on the edge being not believable. I haven't read Wickham previously and this book did not put me off her.

Have pm'd Sidney1220 for the address and now waiting for a reply.

RELEASE NOTES:

Got Sidney1220's address today and popped into the post office in the evening. So the book is now on the way (surface mail) to the next participant. Happy Reading!

This book arrived safe and sound today. Hum...Madelein Wickham? Now why would I join the bookring of an author I've never heard of? Then I find out from the other journal entries that she also writes as Sophie Kinsella, and everything becomes clear. I hated the shopoholic books - well, the one that I actually read anyway- but loved "Can You Keep a Secret". So hopefully this is more similar to the latter than the former.

Thanks for sharing!

I had no idea that I've had the book this long! So sorry for the delay. Pm'ed sweetpea0678 for address.

8/20/07 Mailed at the post office.

I am sad to say that it looks like this book is missing. After Sidney posted this in August it hasn't had a journal :(

I will leave the book set as 'travelling' and maybe one day it will turn up!