Melissa Dymond is the perfect author for holiday romances when the reader typically doesn't read holiday books until holiday season (me). Besides the wedding being scheduled on Xmas eve, getting snowed in, and mentions of holiday activities in NYC...that's where the "holidayness" ends. I loved the character growth with Jenny as well as Dean. Their growth will stick with me for a while. Definitely the best character growth I've read in a while. Their grumpy meets sunshine was great too, and their spice was definitely hot! Ooo wee! I found myself rooting and enjoying their moments more than Gwen and Caleb's. I think that's only because I already knew Gwen and Caleb from book 1, Holiday Star. The stalker was a fun mystery touch! I had my few suspicions. The photos are absolutely stunning and were a great way for bringing the special moments together! I can totally see this being a movie on Hallmark Mysteries! 🤞

A HUGE thank you for Melissa Dymond, Hayley Gallant, and NetGalley (my 1st NetGalley) for giving me the opportunity to be on the ARC team!

Holiday Wedding by Dr Melissa Dymond.

A massive thank you to Melissa and NetGalley for letting me read an Arc of this book.

“Sometimes when you live with the shadows of the dead, you need to be reminded you’re alive”

This story follows a few different people, we have Gwen, a Dr who is making waves with her early testing for Colon Cancer and her incredibly talented and famous fiancé Caleb. It follows the challenges coming with two very different people getting ready for their wedding on Christmas Eve!

Gwen is struggling with how to navigate Caleb’s fame and wanting to remain true to herself while also coming to terms that her life is going to be very different. It shows Caleb’s difficulties with Gwen’s independence and her not really understanding why he’s so scared for her. It talks about his past struggles with alcohol and the threats he lives with on a daily basis.

It also follows (and my personal favourites) Jenny, who is Gwen’s best friend and Dean, Caleb’s bodyguard and their newfound friendship turn love interest.

I’m sorry but Dean completely stole the show for me, insert swoony heart eyes emoji.. just absolute perfection. I love learning about him and how he ticks, how he works. Learning about his trauma. I love that Jenny is a take no smack person and how they compliment each other.

I was laughing, I was crying, I was worried about where it was going. I loved this book.

“Don’t you understand that when I walk into a room, you’re the one I see? When I sleep at night, it’s you dancing through my dreams. You are my past and my future. You are the only one for me”.

Already looking forward to reading another by Melissa!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

My first romantic suspense and I’m hooked on this author!! I loved reading about Jenny & Dean and their connection as well as Caleb & Gwen’s journey to the big day!. Normally multiple POV’s aren’t my jam but I enjoyed this book and it kept me thoroughly entertained.

🎁Holiday Wedding💍 by Dr. Melissa Dymond @melissadymondauthor
Thank you so much for this ARC @netgalley , this is my honest review!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌶️🌶️🌶️
💭My thoughts: As always, this author never ceases to impress me! Dr. Melissa Dymond offers her books in two versions: closed door/clean and open door/spicy! I always prefer the open door version, and really like that it gives readers the option. This book is the second book in a continuing series. It is my favorite so far😍 I enjoyed experiencing two different POVs: Gwen, the fmc from book one, and Jenny, Gwen’s best friend. I really thought no one could top Gwen and Caleb as a couple but wow, Dean and Jenny really knocked it out of the park. I adore Dean. My heart broke for him when he opened up about his past and how broken it made him feel. I felt like I could relate to him feeling so broken and how Jenny felt about herself. Jenny had insecurities that Dean taught her how to overcome. My heart warmed at Gwen noticing her looking happier. I absolutely eat it up when characters learn to love themselves so much that other people notice their happiness glow. The suspense and the plot twist in this book is what completely won me over. Wow! I had predicted one thing right but never expected the other things to come to light. Also, the wedding really made me wish I could have been there to see it. The emotions of every character really came alive on the pages and made my heart want to burst at all the sweetness of it all. I highly recommend this book, it should be, without a doubt, added to your winter holiday tbr!

‼️10% of proceeds donated to colon cancer research, I hope you find it in your heart to support this author and the cause and enjoy her writing as much as I do‼️

This ended up being really sweet. A lot of challenges to overcome and a lot of things going very wrong. A lot of the story was focused on Dean and Jenny, which was so great!

Gwen is at a conference to talk about her cancer screening ideas and Caleb is at home dealing with the last minute wedding preparations. Dean and Jenny end up snowed in together and we see the sparks fly between them! Super sweet but also very real. Real issues, real scenarios for the most part, and fears that real people deal with.

It's such a unique story with multiple POVs and it starts out bold, which had me scared to death--you'll see--and all I have to say is trust the process. When things are too happy it's easy to think when will the ball drop. I didn't realize it was part 2 and didn't read the first story but I still thought it was brilliant. I loved all of the characters and was delighted to watch their stories unfold and come together. The writing is beautiful and such an easy not-puttable-down book. There is so much love in this book and good bit of spice while retaining a fun and interesting plot. I'd read anything by this author. Such a clever story and the art was a bonus! The artwork throughout the book was perfect and didn't take away from the story.

I love a romantic suspense! This book included not only Gwen and Calebs story leading up to their wedding, but also Jenny and Deans story as they connected. Fast paced and engaging with everything going on. Great holiday read!

I loved, loved, loved this book. Normally the flipping between people distracts me, but I soon became fully immersed in the lives of all 4 of the main characters! I will be looking for more books by this author!

Thank you to @netgalley and @melissadymondauthor for this advanced copy!

The Holiday Wedding was the perfect book to start November with! This was such a fun story, and I loved the dual POV for the characters! Gwen and Caleb were perfect, and Jenny and Dean were spicy! I loved the stalker/drama aspects in this one as well. It was lots of fun, and perfect for the holiday!

Quick Synopsis:

“ Gwen and Caleb are madly in love, so walking down the aisle should be as smooth as Santa sliding down the chimney on Christmas Eve, but when Jack Frost sends a blizzard, their Christmas cookies start to crumble. And the icing on the gingerbread house? There’s a stalker on the loose! This Holiday Wedding isn’t looking so holly jolly. It’ll take a Christmas miracle to get these two married.”

Before you pick this book up read the first one first(Holiday Star).

I really enjoyed Holiday Star and Holiday Wedding was just as great.

I just loved Gwen and Caleb! I was excited to see that the book continued their love story.

Definitely recommend both books! I’m excited for the next one in the series.

Thanks to NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book!! It was fun, cosy and the perfect holiday read! The banter between the characters, the characters with a balanced emotional element was flawless. I cannot wait to read more of Melissa’s books!

Thank you so much to NetGalley for the arc of this book!

I loved this one! A feel-good story that is perfect for the holiday season. Obviously, the romance of the main storyline was my favorite, but I also enjoyed the romances of the secondary characters. There was a big twist towards the end that I never saw coming & that added a little bit of action to the plot. But probably what I liked the most about this book was that the author (Dr. Melissa Dymond) cares about her readers so much that she wrote 2 versions of this book….one spicy & one “clean”. (I read the spicy version…it did NOT disappoint!) Highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley, Victory Editing NetGalley Co-Op, and Dr. Melissa Dymond for providing me with the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

December 10 - New York City

Caleb Lawson is an actor, singer, and all-round wealthy man. His fans are huge and they love him so much. Everywhere he goes, he is mobbed by fans. Caleb is engaged to Dr. Gwen Wright, an ER doctor who works many hours. They are getting married on Christmas Eve and are so excited and so in love.

Before the wedding, Gwen is heading to Los Angeles to speak at a conference about her research on cancer. She hates to be away but Caleb’s mother and others have the wedding plans well in hand, so Caleb convinces her that she needs to go and share her work with her peers. Caleb has his own plane but Gwen insists that she wants to fly coach. But he does send a bodyguard with her along with her good friend.

In the meantime, Caleb is meeting with some of his fans and his main bodyguard, Dean, sticks close to him. Dean will also be Caleb’s best man. Gwen’s best friend, Jenny, is going to be her maid of honor. Jenny works as a reporter and is also doing an interview with Caleb and his mother, Marjorie. Dean and Jenny tend to clash, but when Jenny learns that Caleb has a stalker that they have been unable to track down, things become quite worrisome all around.

This is the first book I have read by this author. The storyline is quite spicy so if you like that, this book is for you. The love portrayed by Caleb and Gwen is true and sweet. But it’s Jenny and Dean’s attraction to one another that is the scene stealer. Some funny events but some very scary ones as well. Saying this is a truly romantic read is pretty spot-on. Enjoy!

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This book was not for me. I found it very predictable, and the characters so unrealistic.
I guessed all the major plot points long before they actually happened.
I found the things the main character doctor didn't know about basic biology laughable.
And the a-list celebrity, broadway actor, and restauranteur? While I like my book boyfriends to be exceptional he came off as completely unreal in not the best way.


Also, I found the images between the chapters to be jarring and detract from the reading experience.

Holiday Wedding by Melissa Dymond is a heartwarming and beautifully layered holiday romance that captures the spirit of friendship and love. With two intertwined love stories, both connected through deep friendships, Dymond crafts a tale that feels both intimate and festive. The characters are endearing, and their relationships bring out the warmth and magic of the holiday season.

The story builds at a perfect pace, pulling readers in with gentle charm before delivering a dramatic, emotional twist toward the end that had me on the edge of my seat. Dymond balances lighthearted romance with just the right amount of drama, making this an unforgettable holiday read.

This story features two couples, Gwen and Caleb who are madly in love and looking forward to their wedding and Jenny and Dean who are not a couple, just yet. Jenny is Gwen’s best friend but also a reporter who is covering Caleb, a famous musician. Dean is Caleb’s bodyguard who is trying to uncover the stalker who is sending Caleb some interesting hate/love messages. As Jenny and Dean work to uncover the person behind the threats, Gwen and Caleb struggle to overcome their insecurities as their special day grows closer.
I loved the dual POV between the two couples but must admit to enjoying that of Gwen and Caleb more so. There was so much action going on that I finished this book very quickly. With plenty of romance and unguarded moments, that I found myself racing to the end in the hope that all would be resolved smoothly for both couples.
This book I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

4⭐️ | 2🌶

What to expect:
~Two couples
~Grumpy x Sunshine
~Enemies to lovers
~Forced proximity
~Secret pining
~Snowed in
~One bed
~Dual pov
~HEA

Review:
Holiday Wedding by Dr. Melissa Dymond is a festive treat packed with heartwarming romance, suspense, and the perfect sprinkle of humor!

As Gwen and Caleb prepare for their winter wedding, they face some unexpected, and intense obstacles, from snowstorms to a suspenseful stalker subplot that keeps readers on their toes. Yet, what truly shines in this sequel is the parallel love story of Jenny and Dean. Their grumpy x sunshine dynamic, witty banter, and undeniable chemistry bring extra spark, especially for fans of the enemies to lovers trope.

Dr. Dymond’s dual POV storytelling is expertly handled, allowing readers to see both Gwen and Jenny’s perspectives as they navigate love and career in contrasting ways. While Gwen and Caleb’s romance explores the challenges of planning a wedding under public scrutiny, Jenny and Dean’s enemies to lovers journey adds depth and humor, especially as they’re forced to team up in the holiday chaos.

Though this is the second book in the series, it stands well on its own, with just enough background to catch up new readers. With an optional sweet or spicy version, Holiday Wedding is a charming, winter-perfect romance that balances the heart with a bit of heat!

I loved this book! I ate this up in 2 days! Caleb and Gwen were perfect in this story, and I loved all the side characters as well. I loved getting to know them more and see their wedding finally take place. The love between them was special, and you could see that throughout their whole story. The twists and turns in this book kept me intrigued. I was never bored, and I thought the spice was the perfect mix! The plot was so good and has really started to get me in the Christmas spirit.

I also loved that we got to see Jenny and Dean fall in love. Their story was so good and I loved the banter and angst between them. The way they overcame traumas and leaned on each other is what really drew me to them!

This was my first book by Melissa and won't be my last! I can't wait for Dean and Jenny's book! Thank you to Net Galley for allowing me to read this as an ARC!

Thank you to Dr. Melissa Dymond, NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This was the PERFECT holiday rom-com/ suspense book! I loved that the dual POV was between two best friends, not the FMC and MMC that we usually get in a dual POV. This made it feel like we got two books in one!

The dynamics between characters was amazing! They had real conversations and reactions to hard conversations that we often don't see in books. I did not read the first in the series (holiday star) but the author did such a great job with the character development that I didn't even realize I was reading the second book in the series until I read other reviews from other readers! I will defintely be going back to read it to get Gwen and Caleb "origin story".

Definitely worth a read this holiday season!

I feel like there was so much going on, but also nothing going on at the same time?

Holiday Wedding is marketed as a romance, but it really is a combination of spice, suspense and basically just tag tropes. It didn’t feel like there was much romance imo. When you got the “romance” side of the plot - it was just semi cringeworthy spice scenes, but not a ton of real build up.

The first 40ISH% of the book, i was really bored. I kept putting it down and picking it back up later because I just couldn’t get into the plot, the characters or just the book in any way. I couldn’t figure out what was even happening cuz it felt like a lot of “busy work” writing the first half and not much plot.

The second half of the book was a lot better in my opinion. Some aspects were cringy or not my favorite but the suspense aspect of the kidnapping etc. was intriguing and kept me wanting to read more. I feel like once she was rescued and they got married the story should have ended though.

It has surprise pregnancy trope as well, it doesn’t bother me much, but it quite predictable throughout.

Overall, it wasn’t BAD but it also wasn’t my favorite at all. If you enjoyed this book, i am so happy for you and i love that, it just wasn’t for me & that’s why reading is the best because it is subjective!