A Little In Love by Florence Keeling

 

A Little in Love by Florence Keeling.

Published in paperback 3rd August 2023 by Simon and Schuster.

From the cover of the book:

The little village of Weddington is fast becoming THE place to get married. With its stately home, castle and two churches it has something for everyone, and now, famous after appearing in huge romcom movie hit A Little In Love, it’s hosting a monthly wedding fayre…

Rose Pedal is the proud owner of Pedals & Prosecco, a brand new business serving ice-cold fizz from a vintage bicycle, and she’s excited to be attending her first wedding fayre. But, on the way to Weddington Hall she’s involved in a near miss crash involving dashingly handsome James from Blume’s Florist.

Arriving at the beautiful stately home drenched and disheveled, Rose is horrified to find James is not only not sorry for nearly knocking her off her bike, but he’s gatecrashing her allocated spot on the lawn. His arrogance gets her back up and it’s definitely a case of hate at first sight. But as the wedding fayre season continues, James gently wins Rose over, and their relationship starts to bloom.

Can being just 'a little in love' help Rose and James find their own happy-ending…

***********

Rose Pedal has a great idea for a business venture. Her one-woman enterprise, Pedals & Prosecco, will offer a quirky way for her clients to sip ice-cold fizz at their parties and receptions, served from a themed vintage bicycle. Given the huge popularity of the nearby village of Weddinton as a wedding location, after its appearance in the rom-com hit A Little in Love, she is hopeful her idea will be a big hit. 

Rose sets off to her first wedding fayre at Weddington Hall itself, full of enthusiasm that bookings will start rolling in, but on the way there she is nearly run-down by a van driven by the handsome James of Blume's florists. She is not amused when she arrives at the stately home looking less than cool, calm and collected, to find the arrogant James completely unapologetic... and in her prime spot. Sparks fly between them, but over the course of the wedding fayre season, their inauspicious meeting begins to blossom into a promising relationship. Can their own 'a little in love' connection be a way for them to find happiness too?

A Little in Love is a glorious romantic comedy that tells the tale of two young people who gradually fall in love after spending time with each other on the wedding fayre circuit. The story is driven by the wonderful characters that Florence Keeling imagines, starting with Rose and James, and bringing in their family members, the regulars who offer their services to happy couples planning their dream weddings, and even some of the clients themselves - and their interactions provide a rich seam of rivalries and friendships to spice up the action. 

As in all the best rom-coms, the journey to Rose and James' hoped-for happily-ever-after is littered with mishaps and misunderstandings that elicit humour and heart-wrenching emotion, and the wedding fayre setting provides a truly lovely little community who come to the rescue in times of need. I became especially fond of the WOW gang, with their kindness and spirit - and their hilarious Whatsapp conversations. 

This book is a joy from start to finish, with oodles of warmth, and all the laughter and tears you want in a romantic storyline. It touches on some deep and heartfelt themes too, especially about marriage, and commitment. Imagine a Richard Curtis movie set in the full-on world of the wedding fayre and you will get the picture. I absolutely loved how Keeling brings everything together in an ending filled with love and hope to hit that warm and fuzzy sweet-spot to perfection. Simply gorgeous!

A Little in Love in available to by now in paperback, ebook and audio formats.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster for sending me a copy of this book in return for an honest review, and to Books and the City for inviting be to be part of this blog tour.

About the author:

Florence Keeling LOVES weddings. She married the man she met when she was four months old, and 21 years of married bliss later, they are still VERY much in love. Her love of stories started with Mr Men and Topsy and Tim, she longed to attend Cackle's Academy and spend days sharing adventures with the Famous Five. As a grown up, she wrangles two grown up kids, two mad huskies and three day jobs. A Little In Love is her third work of fiction.