The Wedding Gift

Four Weddings and Fiasco Series, Book 1

By: Lucy Kevin

Narrated by: Eva Kaminsky

Length: 3 hrs and 52 mins

Publisher's summary

The Wedding Gift by The New York Times and USA Today best seller Lucy Kevin is the first fun, sweet contemporary romance in the Four Weddings and a Fiasco series.

After Julie Delgado’s restaurant closes, she temporarily takes over the catering position at the Rose Chalet, a full-service San Francisco wedding venue. She plans to dazzle the bride and groom so the Chalet’s owner will keep her around, but fate has other plans for her when the bride’s brother shows up for the first food tasting.

Andrew Kyle is not only the Cuisine Channel’s Edgy Eats host and chef, but his recent review of Julie’s restaurant was the final nail in its coffin. Once he meets Julie at the Rose Chalet, he’s certain she’s playing it safe. And he wants nothing more than to be the one to break her guarded passions loose.

But despite the undeniable sparks between Julie and Andrew - and the fact that he seems to believe in her when no one else does - can she afford to be taking risks with her cooking, with her career…or with her heart?

©2011, 2013 Oak Press, LLC (P)2014 Oak Press, LLC

Lots and lots of inner-monologue

First let me say this is the first audiobook where I've actually found a glaring mistake. It's chapter 10 page 72 or something funny like that. I guess they forgot to edit that out.
But that aside, which was really just an amusing sidenote - I had a problem with this book and it's just that they kept going over and over again on the same issues.

I hate to admit it but when I got to the point in the book when you found out she had only worked at the place for 3 I was like seriously? It has only been three days? As much as she had been rambling on, it felt like a lifetime.

Another thing that bothered me is that they never really dated or had any sort of courtship. They just went from meeting to I LOVE YOU immediately.

I don't know about you but if a guy I only met 3 or 4 days ago and had only been on one actual date with told me he loved me, I would be creeped out. I get that she slept with him on the first date and that made them feel more connected, but love? Seriously? After only knowing a guy a few days and only having gone on a single date? Okay then.

Ok, predictable, but clean

The story was ok, typical romance plot, nothing exciting or surprising. It was clean, not explicitly sexual (thank you). The voice performance was over dramatic and sometimes I had to really focus on the story to avoid the annoyance of it.

Very romantic!

This book has such a special place in my heart. It is so nastalgic of weddings, relationships, and faith . A must read.

Sigh

So, I listened to the whole thing, and I am, well, frustrated. And maybe just a little bit offended for cooks everywhere.

Story: Julie is a good technical chef, but uninspired. Andrew is a great creative chef with his own tv show, who also apparently does restaurant reviews. He’s a busy guy. Andrew’s honest review, which wasn’t at all mean, btw, put the final nail in the coffin of Julie’s restaurant. They meet soon after at Julie’s new job, and after tasting her food again, still says it’s lacking. But she’s pretty, so he pursues her. After a whole lot of unnecessary angst, they get together and her life takes a nosedive, creating more angst, and some personal growth for Julie. Good romantic storyline, so much potential.

The good: If you can suspend belief in a three day love story, (I can- it is a romance book after all) it’s not bad. The writing was good, and the narration excellent. I don’t think I could have finished if I had read it, but Eva Kaminsky did a good job with what she had.

***spoilers***
The bad: Oh please, please do your research. I can suspend belief in insta love, but the entire premise of the book was flawed. Julie had money and experience to open a restaurant, but was not able to get a job, like, anywhere, when it closed. She thought hot sauce on a quiche was innovative. She was ashamed to work in a food truck, seeing it as beneath her. (Hello... gourmet food trucks are a-maz-ing). And she was offered a tv show after coming in last in a cook off. And did I mention, Frank’s Red Hot on eggs is not creative. Tasty, yes. Inspired, nope. Oh, and foodies love comfort food as much as anybody else. Just putting that out there.

Bottom line, if you’re going to write about something, make sure you know what you’re talking about.

Recommended

An excellent story revolving around cooking. A easy, none stressfilled story with interesting characters.

Eva Kaminsky did a good job bringing the story to life. It was easy to get lost in it.

Note: At the end of chapter 10 an edit was forgotten and left in.

Wish it was longer

Such a fun story, I definitely want to go cook something yummy. Pretty good development, wish it had been longer so get more growth from the characters.

Critics and Creators Don’t Mix Well

Julie Delgado loses her restaurant after a harsh review by Andrew Kyle. When she substitutes for her aunt at The Rose Chalet, a full service wedding venue, she must deal with his for his brother’s wedding. It is not a good start. Sweet romance and story. Great performance. Recommend.

Not my favorite

The story was not my usual pick but decided I’d give it a try. Performance was great. Story line was very predictable.

Very predictable. Loved the food

The story is very predictable, you know who are the main characters and their character from chapter one.
However what saved this story for me was the way they describe the food, the writer has a magic way to describe the colors, taste, smell and they way food was prepared, I liked that very much.
There is not much story other than the very predictable sad girl meets bully-like rich guy and they fall in love.

The Wedding Gift

This is a delightful story and the narrator is very pleasant for once it was super to listen in bed at night with such a nice women’s voice.