Melanie LaBrooy's Bittersweet, (also known as The Wedding Planner) is a great read by one of my favourite authors. I love LaBrooy's novels, they are the perfect balance of hilarious and real.
This book is centred around 2 sisters, one of whom has an upcoming wedding. Sabrina is a famous TV actress, whilst her sister Mimi is jobless and drifting through life. When Sabrina offers Mimi the job of bridesmaid/organiser of the wedding, after years of having not spoken or gotten along, all kinds of emotions get thrown into the mix. The story gradually unfolds as you find out about how each of the characters connects with one another (a tangled web of secrets and connections), as well as their history, their secrets and their insecurities. Family bonds, personal insecurities, wedding planning and a small glimpse at celebrity life are the crux of this story, and once all the story has unfolded, all those insecurities, mistakes and personal attributes suddenly make sense. Melanie LaBrooy somehow manages to touch on a range of serious issues, such as alcoholism, cheating, dieting and abuse, but in a relatively lighthearted and nonburdening way.... but jsut enough to make you think.
I really loved this book and I'll definitely be reading it again.
