Check It Out: When a reader’s fancy turns to love

It’s wedding season and love is in the air. Some women dream of the perfect day, dressed all in white, sharing the day with family and friends, marrying their prince and living happily ever after. Whether you’re looking for love or have already found it, take a look at some of these wedding affairs:

What’s a wedding without a little family drama? That’s what ensues when three women from the same family decide to marry all on the same day. The youngest, Chloe, can’t believe she’s engaged and struggles to share her good news with her best friend, who happens to be a male. Kristine, Chloe’s mom, is restless in her 25-year marriage and finds renewed hope when her husband suggests they renew their vows. And Grandma June finds a second chance at love, but her interfering in others’ business may be her downfall. This is the mother, and daughter, and grandmother of all weddings in “Marriage Matters” by Cynthia Ellingsen.

“Marrying Up” by Wendy Holden is a British tale of two women who grew up together in the same place, but take vastly different paths to find true love. Polly, a modest archaeology student, meets and falls for the handsome Max, who’s studying to be a veterinarian. Audacious Alexa isn’t necessarily searching for love. She’s looking for a rich man with a title. Alexa sees a potential opportunity when she befriends the royal Lady Florence Trevorigus-Whyske-Cleethorpe. Find out if either of these ladies catches the man of their dreams in this Cinderella story.

Polly is destined for her happily ever after in Holly McQueen’s “There Goes the Bride.” Her older sister Bella and best friend Grace are excited to help plan the grand affair. But as the title implies, Polly is getting cold feet and calls the wedding off. Bella and Grace are bound to get Polly and her fiancée reunited, but Polly has some secrets she’s not willing to reveal to those closest to her.

Beth “Bee” Evans isn’t the center of attention in this story even though she’s the one getting married. Instead author Meredith Goldstein focuses on the five dateless guests invited to the wedding in her aptly titled book, “The Singles.” Hannah is a bridesmaid in the wedding, nervous to see her ex-boyfriend with his new girlfriend. Vicki, a college friend with both Bee and Hannah, is suffering from depression. Rob, who also is a college connection, still pines for Hannah. Bee’s favorite uncle Joe is the black sheep of the family, and Phil wasn’t even invited to the wedding. The tale unfolds in alternating chapters, narrated by each of these singletons.

In “A Wedding in Great Neck,” author Yona Zeldis McDonough tells the story over the course of Angelica Silverstein’s wedding day. McDonough, much like Goldstein, doesn’t place the bride and groom at the focus of the story. Instead, it centers on the bride’s family and their own anxieties. Angelica’s sister, Gretchen, is caught off guard when she finds out her estranged husband has decided to come to the wedding. Their daughter Justine has plenty up her sleeve as she’s planning to sabotage the event. The bride’s father is a recovering alcoholic, and her brother Caleb is coming out to the family for the first time. This is a delightful story, bringing together four generations of a family drama.

You can check out any of these modern-day love stories at the Newport Beach Public Library. For another reading option, visit the library’s website at https://www.newportbeachlibrary.org and access the library’s downloadable book service, OverDrive. Download the electronic editions of Nora Roberts’ Bride Quartet, four stories of friends set in the world of wedding planning.

CHECK IT OUT is written by the staff of the Newport Beach Public Library. All titles may be reserved from home or office computers by accessing the catalog at https://www.newportbeachlibrary.org. For more information on the Central Library or any of the branches, please contact the Newport Beach Public Library at (949) 717-3800, option 2.