Review: The Wedding Pact by Isla Gordon

A fake marriage for a very surprising reason is at the heart of this fun, cozy romance set in Bath. August is a dreamer, big on ideas and personality. Flynn is smart and quiet and, as his ex-girlfriend put it when she dumped him, not at all adventurous. Disenchanted with love, he returns from Japan where he has been living for the past four years to Bath and, after some troubles finding suitable accommodation, he sees the perfect flat advertised. There is just one problem. August has her heart set on that very flat, mostly due to something that her beloved grandmother said to her many years before. At the viewing, Autumn and Flynn discover that the eccentric landlady will only rent the flat to a married couple, and soon the pair come up with a novel solution ...

This was a fun and cozy read, with most of the drama revolving around how the main characters keep up the pretence of being married, their guilt about telling a lie and the further complications it causes when they start falling for one another. August is well, a bit of an idiot really, and Flynn could have spoken up more on occasions, but it is the characters imperfections that make the story so much fun. One thing I really liked about the novel is that Flynn and August are an interracial couple and the supporting characters accept that, and there are not themes of discrimination or bullying. I like how the secret keeping is resolved in the end and how warm and cozy this novel feels from start to finish.

Recommended.

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