After pinching pennies for years, Phoebe has finally decided to splurge on a dream vacation in Newport, Rhode Island at a fancy hotel…so she can kill herself. Yes, that is the premise of this book; and yet, it manages to be absolutely charming. There’s just one problem with Phoebe’s plan: she only got her room due to a glitch; the entire hotel was supposed to have been rented out for a wedding. The bride, Lila, is a take charge sort who has expertly crafted a veneer of perfection over her entire life. A suicide would certainly put a damper on her wedding, so she adopts Phoebe and they forge a strange but airtight friendship that allows them to embrace their truest and best selves.
I love a wedding extravaganza (such opulence is a favorite trope), but what makes this one special are all the complicated feelings and heavy – real life – issues that beat behind this particular lavish setting. There is plenty of banter (!) and I love seeing each character find their purpose. Yes, there’s a little romance, but it takes a backseat to Phoebe and Lila realizing how to love themselves.
5 out of 5 stars.
Pair with: Champagne (on a sailboat, preferably)
Peaches to Apples 