Friday, August 8, 2014

Cancel the Wedding: A Novel by Carolyn Dingman

Standalone
416p.
Publisher: Harper Paperbacks
Published: 8/5/14
Source: From publisher for review
On the surface, Olivia has it all: a high-powered career, a loving family, and a handsome fiancĂ©. She even seems to be coming to terms with her mother Jane’s premature death from cancer. But when Jane’s final wish is revealed, Olivia and her elder sister Georgia are mystified. Their mother rarely spoke of her rural Southern hometown, and never went back to visit—so why does she want them to return to Huntley, Georgia, to scatter her ashes? 
Jane’s request offers Olivia a temporary escape from the reality she’s long been denying: she hates her “dream” job, and she’s not really sure she wants to marry her groom-to-be. With her 14-year-old niece, Logan, riding shotgun, she heads South on a summer road trip looking for answers about her mother. 
As Olivia gets to know the town’s inhabitants, she begins to peel back the secrets of her mother’s early life—truths that force her to finally question her own future. But when Olivia is confronted with a tragedy and finds an opportunity to right a terrible wrong, will it give her the courage to accept her mother’s past—and say yes to her own desire to start over?
My thoughts:
This is a mystery book that does not solve a murder but solves the questions they always had of their mother's childhood and life before she met their father. When upon her death she asks them to scatter her ashes on a lake near her hometown and on a burial plot of an unknown person questions of Jane's life (the mother) arise. Olivia is escaping her life of marrying a person she is no longer in love and decides on the spot to investigate her mother's life. Her onery but lovable niece decides to also go along for a ride. While there she discovers more about her mother than she thought possible and also starts to find herself.

I don't want to give too much away but there is also romance within the pages. One that seems to be quick, but also makes sense. The mystery is engaging and you want to know as much as all the players. You enjoy peeling back layers of this woman's life.

I give this book 4 stars. It is a book of self-discovery through another woman's past. It is a great summer read and I recommend it to those that enjoy a different kind of mystery (with no murder), romance, and personal growth.

19 comments:

  1. It sounds interesting and different. It's intriguing.

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    1. If you are in the mood for a contemp. I think you will like this one Mel!

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  2. A mystery with no murder? Well, that's definitely intriguing. I like that there's also romance and some personal growth to it.

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  3. This sounds like something my mother in law would love Melissa, I'm definitely going to recommend it to her. She can never get enough of all types of mysteries:)

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    1. Yes, it is more of a contemp romance, but there is a mystery. :)

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  4. I like a mystery with no murder every once in awhile and these type of books are always interesting to me. Thanks for the recommendation.

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  5. I figured this would be contemporary romance, based on that cover, but I love that it has elements of mystery, even if she's just exploring her mother's life. i read something heavy on the beach again today. i should bring something like this instead. I just never learn.

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  6. A mystery novel WITHOUT a murder? That's different! There's still a whole month of summer left, so I'll definitely be adding Cancel the Wedding to my reading list. Happy Friday, Melissa!

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  7. Self discovery and solving a mystery at the same time sounds like the makings of a good read

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  8. Ooo this sounds interest and who says a mystery has to involve murder. I love digging into people's pasts.

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  9. It's not really my genre, but I am glad you enjoyed it.

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  10. I haven't read a contemporary mystery in awhile but this seems to be right up my alley. Fantastic review, Melissa, and thanks for putting this on my radar!

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  11. You said the magic words - romance and mystery! This sounds like a great read to take with me to the beach. Thanks for putting it on my radar!

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  12. Hmmm... this one does sound interesting and like the perfect summer read!

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Thanks for commenting! I ❤ comments!