"Teenage Wedding"

The characters all but jump off the page in MOTHER OF THE BRIDE." Cydney Parrish is the quiet daughter of Flechter Parrish, a New York Times Bestselling author, and Georgette Parrish, TV star, and sister of Gwen Parrish, an award- winning journalist. In fact most of America did not know of the fourth Parrish, who deligently stays at home and raises Gwen's daughter, Bebe.

One horrible afternoon Cydney walks in on Bebe having relations with Aldo Munroe. Aldo is Bebe's new fiancee, judging from the huge rock blinding Cydney's eye. The most hilarious scene in any book is when Cydney retires to her writing room to talk to her pinups of Angus Munroe, the top New York Times bestselling author and uncle of Aldo. For ten years she has loved and dreamed about this man. In fact, she starting hearing his voice from the pictures-which was pleasant until she realized the real deal was striding over to her and proclaiming what a nut she was.

More laughter ensues as the Cydney travels to the distant Crooked Possum, home of Angus and the place of the wedding. Every time Angus encounters Cydney, he is harmed physically and is usually taken to the hospital. The local color of the town shows up to give their two cents about how the wedding should look.

Cydney even believes she likes the real Angus compared to her fantasies until she finds his Grand Plan, written to destroy the wedding. Angus likewise holds resentment since Cydney's father would never give him the time of day as an author. That is until Flechter Parrish flies from the Caribbean and walks in on them dancing. His daughter could never see anything likable in that 'pretty boy author,' or so he thought.

Ms. Michaels character development is fantastic. While her characters are a little sexual, their emotions in the book are from the heart and head instead of their libido. Another truly enjoyable aspect is the switched point of views in every three chapters or so. The reader finds out that Cyndey is actually writing this book from experiece with the help of Angus. Audiences will revel in Michael's humor and embarrassing situations that are most recognizable in their own crazy families.

Reviewed by Jennifer Vaughn
Posted June 30, 2002

Summary

In a family of jet-setters and lovable eccentrics, Cydney Parrish is the stable, sensible one, always with her feet firmly planted on the ground. Maybe that's why she ended up raising her sister's daughter Bebe. Now Bebe is all grown up and about to marry the nephew of the handsome and reclusive author Angus Munroe. Between planning the wedding, dealing with her high maintenance kin, and facing a future with only a cat for company, Cydney has her hands full. But she isn't too busy to notice that aside from being pushy and generally infuriating, Gus Munroe may just be the man of her dreams. Angus Munroe is not about to let his only nephew throw his future away on some ditzy debutante. He flies into town determined to "speak now and never hold his peace"--but ends up instead with a broken nose, a slight limp, and his mountainside home invaded by the bride-to-be's family. He's pretty certain it is all the wedding planner's fault. Aunts aren't supposed to be sexy, but someone obviously forgot to tell the irresistible Cydney Parrish. . . .