(I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.)

Ten years ago, Rachael West chose not to move to Sydney with high-school sweetheart Matthew. Instead she stayed on the family wheat farm, caring for her seriously ill mother and letting go of her dreams. Now, Matthew is marrying someone else. And Rachael is invited to the wedding, a lavish affair in Paris, courtesy of the flamboyant family of Matthew's fiancée – a once-in-a-lifetime celebration at someone else's expense in Europe's most romantic city.
She is utterly unprepared for what the week brings. Friendships will be upended, secrets will be revealed – and on the eve of the wedding, Rachael is faced with an impossible dilemma: should she give up on the promise of love, or destroy another woman's life for a chance at happiness?

I have been a fan of Charlotte Nash since reading Iron Junction a few years ago. Her mix of great characters and stunning settings have been a hallmark of every story of hers I have read. For me, she "gets" what rural Australia is all about and that understanding just oozes from the pages.

So, when it came to read this one, I was a little apprehensive about the wedding taking place in France. I wondered if Nash would lose her sense of place by taking the story out of her comfort zone.

I needn't have worried. Her vision of Paris is stunning and I am absolutely impressed again by her understanding of the settings and locations.

On top of that, it is a story that I am sure most people can relate to - the ex-boyfriend gets married and everyone's lives change. The family dynamics were well told, as was the message of self-discovery. I feel like that this could have been a 5-star review but...

I don't know if it was just me but the characters in this book seemed a little over-dramatic...? I certainly wasn't impressed with Matthew, and Rachel was a little bit selfish and played the victim just a little too much. Minor things but seemed unusual for Charlotte to write such unlikeable characters...

Anyway, aside from that, I would have absolutely no trouble recommending this book at all!


Paul
ARH

(Age: 15+) Recommended for romance lovers. Australian country life. Rachael West is 28 and devastasted by the death of her mother. Years before she had chosen to care for her mother who suffered from multiple scholeris and run the family farm, rather than following her boyfriend Matthew to university to study as a journalist. Now she has received an invitation to
Matthew's wedding to a rich socialite, Bonnie, in Paris. Determined to put her feelings for Matthew, now a successful doctor, behind her, she sets off for Paris with her best friend Sammy and there is faced with many difficult choices. Can she and Matthew rekindle what was there when she was 17, even though it would break Bonnie's heart, and does she have a future in journalism or fashion design?
What stands out in this novel is not the romance between Rachael and Matthew or the attraction that Rachael feels for the photographer Antonio, but rather the coming of age of Rachael as she struggles to come to grips with her feelings for Matthew and her desire to discover what abilities and future she might still have. After over hearing two women talking about her being left behind she is overwhelmed by the need to uncover her talents as a seamstress or as a journalist. Her caring nature also stands out, even though she is oblivious to the problems that her friend Sammy is experiencing.
Of course the beautiful setting of Paris makes a wonderful background to the story and will ensure that people who haven't visited will want to go, and anyone who has been fortunate enough to visit there will be enthralled by the descriptions of the standout landmarks and also the little back alleys and the world of high fashion as well as the beautiful dresses that Rachael has designed. But Rachael's vivid descriptions of the Australian outback near Parkes to Antonio will also strike the reader with a vision of just how beautiful the Australian landscape can be. The hard work and business acumen needed to run a country farm also come to life as Rachael's struggles with her dilemma of whether to stay on the farm or seek her life further afield.
An easy to read story, the narrative in The Paris Wedding flowed beautifully, grabbing the reader with relatable characters and Rachael's feelings for her first love and the strength of her friendship with Sammy. The book also includes an extract from Nash's bestselling novel The horseman.

This book has a bit of everything - a fantastic Australian setting matched with an exotic overseas location in Paris - who doesn't love a book set in France - and characters to fall in love with. It's a really beautiful coming of age story for Rachael as she finds the courage to follow her dreams. I highly recommend it.

What a delightful story! I loved the rural NSW Australian setting but also that of Paris! Rachael is an incredible character who captured my heart. I was so engaged with the story I wanted to find out what happened next but at the same time didn't want it to end.
Highly recommend this as an enjoyable and moving story.
Thanks to Netgalley & publisher Hachette Australia for the opportunity to read & review this novel.

At 28 years old Rachael had given up the last 10 years of her life to care of her sick mother on their family farm in country NSW. She didn't begrudge those years, she loved her Mum and it was just the two of them but overhearing some women talk at the funeral, makes her realise that she did give up a lot and her first love Matthew. Now, the day after the funeral she receives an invite to Matthew's wedding to a Sydney socialite....in Paris with all expenses paid. Maybe it's time to live a little and the wedding might be just the event to let her move on from him.

I loved this story, for me it was unashamedly pure escapism. I experienced every emotion while I went on Rachael's journey along with some local town characters and her best friend Sammy (her +1 invite, who is having problems of her own). Rachael is also an accomplished seamstress, something she was taught by her mother and along with the beautiful descriptions of Paris, the descriptions of the dresses, fabric and stitching that Rachael had made/done was exquisite. Really, what I loved about this book is that is wasn't so much about romance, it was about Rachael finding herself after all this time.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for granting me a copy to read and review.