My first review of 2022 and what a great book to begin the new year with. The Wedding Ringer by Kerry Rea was honestly such a sweet and endearing novel to read. While you may come into it thinking that it’s a romance (which this book also has), it’s actually more about a newfound friendship between the two characters, Willa Callister and Maisie Mitchell, that begins with an unusual request but blossoms into something special.
Willa Callister once had everything that made her happy. She was engaged, had a great friendship with her best friend since childhood, and a thriving career as a blogger. Then everything changed when she caught her fiance cheating on her with her best friend. Now, Willa just wants to get out town and has been trying to save money even if it means dressing up as "Princess Sparklehearts" for her sister's party business. Then, by some strange serendipity, Willa meets Maisie Mitchell. Maisie is in desperate need of another bridesmaid for her upcoming wedding and is hoping Willa could fill the position while also pretending to be her longtime friend throughout the festivities. Despite her hesitation, Willa reluctantly agrees since Maisie is willing to pay her for this lie. As she and Maisie get to know each other however, along with meeting handsome and kind Best Man, Liam Rafferty, Willa begins to reconsider leaving and if it is possible to open her heart again not just for love but to a new friendship.
I have to admit that upon seeing the title, I immediately thought of the Kevin Hart and Josh Gad comedy film of the same name. And while both have an almost (but not really) similar plot, this book is different. It has a lot of depth and adds something new and refreshing to a story about female friendship.
I loved getting to know Willa and seeing her relationship with Maisie develop. The way they play off each other in pretending to be old friends (Willa coming up with a fake story about how brave Maisie was when they were kids at Camp Anawanna - nice 90’s Nickelodeon reference by the way!) and how they naturally become really good friends (Maisie being there for Willa as they bond over tacos and later them singing and talking en route to Maisie’s bachelorette party) were all great moments to read. And after what is revealed and shared by both characters, they both needed each other more than they realized.
I also liked the relationship between Willa and Best Man / Dr. McDreamy - excuse me, Dr. Dreamboat, Liam Rafferty. Their story never felt like a Plot B sub-story and was perfectly balanced with Willa’s growth and her own friendship with Maisie. She needed both Maisie and this potential new romance with Liam to find herself again and let people in.
Maybe it’s too early to say, but this is my favorite read of 2022. It has a lot of heart and is perfect for those who need a little hope in times when it feels like you just want to run away. There’s always someone who cares and there are always people, whether they’ve been with you forever or you’ve just started a new friendship with, that will be there for you.
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