This is the perfect beach read. It’s light hearted, romantic, easy to read and super enjoyable.
It’s predictable but in an endearing way.

Samantha has a problem: her best friend is about to get married. No, that’s not the problem. The problem is that the best man is her ex who cheated on her and whose new girlfriend is now pregnant.

She really doesn’t want to go, but she really has to, so she needs to do something to not look like she’s still thinking about her ex. Something like getting a new boyfriend, even if it has to be a pretend one.

I know what you’re thinking: “this is such a cliché”. Well, let me tell you it’s not. I know that she paid him to pretend to be her boyfriend and I know that this fake relationship thing already happened in about 1001 books, but this is different! Because this is funny as well!

Samatha’s character covers two sides of the same coin: the insecure one and the funny one. Regarding the first side: Sam is way too self-doubting with next-to-none self-esteem. She’s mostly conscious about her body, always thinking she’s fat when she’s actually not that bad. On the bright side, she’s so so funny. She’s kind of hysterical when she gets nervous so there were some babbling moments and incoherent sentences that had me laughing really hard!

Jake is the epitome of kindness! He’s always right by Sam, always trying to protect her from her ex and reassure her that she’s beautiful and not the ugly thing that she thinks she is. He’s also an actor and a good-looking one so I guess that’s all you need to know about him!

The wedding happens in Scottland so expect a Scottish setting with lots of kilts!

Oh! Almost forgot! There’s a puppy too! Which was kind of a problem at first but turned out being a good addition to the story!

The only thing that I would have liked to see was a stronger connection between them because for the most part of the book they fall on the friend-zone quite often which kind of deflected the way I saw them as a couple!

Overall, I liked it! There were no tough subjects or heated scenes so I would recommend this as a very fun and chilled read to brighten up your day!

The story of the Wedding Date is a bit as it's cover: sugary sweet, tempting, but after reading you feel a bit unsatisfied. Of course you will love Samantha, the girl who is asked to be the maid of honour for her BFF. And she is hilarious. Having told several people (including her parents) that she is totally over her ex Liam (who will be the best man in the same wedding) and dating a new wonderful guy, she is in a difficult spot currently. Because Sam is determined to show the world she is better of without Liam.
Introducing Jake, brother of Sam's hairdresser. Jake is an actor in between jobs, who promises to help Sam for a healthy acting fee. Sam has to get a loan from the bank to redecorate her kitchen (or so she tells her bank in order to get a loan), but she will have Jake as her pretend boyfriend.
Jake is a great actor and soon everyone believes that Sam and he are the perfect couple. Even Sam starts to have trouble to see whether Jake is acting or if he is really into her. Find out for yourself in this sweet story. Three out of five stars from me and a special thank you to Netgalley for providing the arc.

Love this book, so many laugh out loud moments, could definitely see this as a film!

This is the first Stoneley book I have read and I am now so excited to read some more!

If you're looking for a light-hearted rom-com then this is your book - trust me, you won't be disappointed.

The Wedding Date is such a good romance. A good plot with great characters and a bit of humor. I highly recommend this book

LOVED the book. I was glued to the book from start to finish, The storyline was a bit like the Movie, "The Wedding Date", which I LOVED. I would have loved to read more of this book, I was so invested in the Characters! The only negative I would say the book contained, was where the characters spoke. Instead of, Sally said, "the color is all wrong for you", it read 'the color is all wrong for you'. Other than that, I loved every minute of this book. There needs to be a continuation! :)

I loved this book very funny and Sam and Jake are likeable main characters, i couldn"t put this book down.

The Wedding Date has me cracking up almost the entire book. The story was very cute, and well written. It had you rooting for the characters, and hating some at the same time.

This is a great book with a wonderful story and well developed characters. The story flowed very well and was very enjoyable. This book will keep you reading long into the night and you will not want to put this book down until you finish. This was such a great read and full of surprises. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader’s copy of this book. The free book held no determination on my personal review.

This was a cute British rom-com. I must admit I’m not one who gets excited about weddings, so the whole premise of the book didn’t thrill me. It’s the 21st century and no one, especially women, should feel shamed in any way for attending a wedding solo. That being said, the antics of the two main characters, along with adorable little dog Harry, made for a fun night of reading.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

This was a fun, entertaining romp. Sam is a funny character and I really liked her and Jake together. The setup isn't particularly unique and I did have some difficulty getting into the story, but generally I liked it. Life is pretty stressful at the moment so this is the perfect read to take my mind off of things. This was my first Zara Stoneley book and I would read another one.

I have not enjoyed a book so much since reading "Bridget Jones Diary" by Helen Fielding! It easily fits into the rom-com category and Stoneley has an acute sense of humor with perfect comedic timing that makes readers laugh out loud and root for the characters till the very end. If you were looking for a fun, light-hearted read with some great characters, pick up "The Wedding Date."

This has to be one of the best wedding books I've ever read and I look forward to writing an extended review!

Sam (also Samantha but never Sammy!) has been asked to be the maid of honour at her best friend's wedding in Scotland, and this includes a week full of activities in a castle! So far, so good but there is one problem - Sam's ex - boyfriend is going to be the best man, and moreover, he's going to be there with his new girlfriend - a VERY pregnant girlfriend. So Sam must not only look gorgeous but she needs a new boyfriend, pronto. Desperate needs call for desperate measures, so Sam decides to hire this new boyfriend. Enters Jake, incredibly handsome and lovely actor but as it turns out with his own baggage - now he only has to prove that his acting skills are really well. Or are those acting skills at all?

Being a huge fan of Zara Stoneley's and her novels, I couldn't be more excited to see her new book on NetGalley. However, I was a little surprised, as the blurb to "A Wedding Date" sounded very different to her other books, and the cover - well, it is a nice cover but it is light-years away from the other covers. I know, I know, they can't all look the same but still... Nevertheless, I think it was a really brave move to write a book with such topic and such a title - next to a film titled "A Wedding Date" there are many novels with the same premise as this story and to add something new and original to it can't be too easy. But well, who has said that it will be easy, right? However, I must admit, that the story didn't take me completely by surprise but don't get me wrong here, guys - Zara Stoneley's idea of what could go right or wrong did take the book to another, very high level of entertainment!
There was one thing that bothered me through the whole book - I just didn't have the feeling that it is a story by Zara Stoneley. It reminded me of so many other rom - coms, which basically is not bad, because of course it had a unique touch to it as well, but Zara Stoneley has already proven many, many times that her stories can be exceptionally brilliant, poignant and funny. And this time I just missed this final touch, this "something" that would make me immediately recognize, without you showing me the author, that it is a story by Ms Stoneley.

Sam was so very easy to like, and she was so relatable with all her problems. She was worrying about her weight all the time and then going out to eat pizza (sounds familiar. Very familiar), about her work, friends and life generally. She was also one of the very best friends in the world and well, she wore her heart on her sleeve. It was a bit sad that she was defining herself through her weight but on the other hand who doesn't do it, right, so I really did get where she was coming from, and basically, I got our Sam. I warmed to her immediately, and I laughed at her antics, and I liked that she was just so down to earth and believable.
And how lucky you must be to find a guy - moreover, a sexy as hell actor - that would agree to your plan of faking a relationship, right? I think it was that that didn't sit with so much, and add to that that he was perfect, how convenient was it? Don't get me wrong, I liked Jake, but knowing that he's hiding the true reasons while he's going along with the charade just made me keep the distance a little and probably this is why I just didn't get fully into the story. On the other hand, I completely understood Sam, oh hell, I'd probably try finding a fake boyfriend myself if I were Sam!
And guys, it wouldn't be a Zara Stoneley book if there weren't animals involved! As usual, she introduced some animal characters to us and added a scene or two including horses, and what can I say, they were hugely entertaining, and Harry the dog would give me grey hair.

But altogether, "A Wedding Date" was a funny, uplifting story It ticks all the boxes to be a great summery read - it was a great rom - com with enough drama, comedy and romance, introducing us to vivid, colourful characters and brilliant setting. It was easy, uplifting and light - hearted with plenty of entertaining scenes. The humour and narrative in this book were flowing so effortlessly, unforced and it was a joy to read it. It was full of energy and sunshine and friendship. Yes, I liked other Zara Stoneley's stories better but it doesn't mean that "A Wedding Date" wasn't a good read - because it was and if you haven't read other Ms Stoneley's books (not possible I assume) that you can easily start with this one. Highly recommended!

A believable, likeable heroine, a sexy, secretive hero and a lovable dog make this the perfect romantic comedy. Especially when you factor in a cast of wedding guests, the helpful hairdresser and the hateful ex.

The chemistry between Jake and Sam is always there but will they do anything about it? There are so many comic moments in this story, as the week-long wedding celebrations rollout. Harry, the dog, is a real star and every dog lover will recognise his antics. Sam's mum also deserves a mention; she is hilarious.

There is a lovely mix of Sam's internal wrangling and visual action scenes, so vividly written that you can easily imagine them. The romantic ending is both nail-biting and satisfying. What more can you ask for in an escapist read?

I received a copy of this book from Harper Impulse via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

This was an entertaining romp set at a Scottish wedding. A not quite real boyfriend, a lousy ex, a best friend and a gorgeous dog. What could go wrong? This book raced along and kept me entertained the whole way and doesn't everyone love a happy ending?

This was a fun light read. I totally enjoyed myself while reading it. The book takes a little time to get going but before you know it, it pulls you in. But I did found myself caught up in the story quickly and once I got sucked in I didn't want to stop reading it. It's lighthearted but not daft, emotional but never sappy. There are parts that drag a little (mainly too many looooong scenes with Sam's parents and also some of Sam's inner dialogue could be easily cut back) but that doesn't ruin the overall flow of the story. I sympathised with the main character, Sam and laughed out loud at her mishaps. It's such a feel good book. A great, light hearted and super cute romance.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Zara Stoneley for writing a brilliant and at times funny novel.

I wasn't sure I would get into this story as it's not exactly my usual genre. But as I needed a funny story, I chose this as it looked good through the cover as well as the way the characters was portrayed. Sam is a funny woman who has 3 problems at a wedding. 1. Her ex boyfriend Liam is going to be Best Man at the wedding. 2. Liam's new girlfriend is pregnant. 3. Sam has kinda told everyone that she has a new man in her life but she hasn't. So what do you do when you have promised your best friend to be her Maid Of Honour. You hire someone who is gorgeous, sexy and really cheap - in walks Jake Porter.

The antics that this book brings between Sam and Jake as well as all the other characters are brilliant. I would definitely read more by Zara Stoneley in the future.

My first time with this author and she made it worth checking out more of her books.
This book is full of every emotion but mostly full of laughter and heartfelt insight into dating losers and finding the real you.

And I love the setting. Who can resist a castle in Scotland.

The Wedding Date is an enjoyable fake relationship romantic comedy that falls squarely into the "okay read" category for me. I don't regret the time I spent reading it, but I wouldn't re-read and would only recommend to those looking specifically for a British romcom who are okay with a bit of a rambling stream-of-consciousness narrator.

Some of the positives: I easily found myself commiserating with Sam, and was rooting for her and Jake from early on. I also quite liked some of the supporting characters (and absolutely loved Harry). I found myself actually laughing out loud obnoxiously many times, particularly towards the end of the story (or perhaps I just paid more attention because I was reading in bed next to my sleeping husband and was trying not to make too much noise).

However, I had trouble understanding bits and pieces because of the British slang. Despite knowing the story was set in England and written by a British author, I didn't anticipate having as much trouble as I did (so that's on me). You can also predict basically every plot point (but it IS a romcom, so that's not necessarily a deal breaker for me).

If you're looking for the perfect Summer wedding season read then you'll find it in The Wedding Date by Zara Stoneley. An easy to read, unputdownable, often hilarious look at the obligations we put upon ourselves when those we love decide to tie the knot.
Samantha is our main character and the story is told in her first person. She's a little lost following the breakdown of her long-term relationship with the very dull Liam, so when she's asked to be Maid of Honour at her best friend's wedding she goes into panic mode and winds up employing the gorgeous actor Jake to play her boyfriend at the week long celebration.
When Sam, Jake and his truly delightful dog Harry set off for the Scottish Highlands the wedding we embark on a fun filled week of activities where we really get to know all of the main characters and see their true colours in some cases! Sam and Jake are wonderful characters and their journey is fun and emotional.
It's quite apparent what kind of story arc we're on from the outset in this book but the predictability doesn't take anything from the vastly enjoyable read that this book is.