The Wedding Date
(Libby/OverDrive eAudiobook)

As the assistant to the mayor of Berkeley, Alexa Monroe is a resourceful woman who is prepared for any situation. But when the power suddenly goes out, trapping her in an elevator with a gorgeous doctor, she is unprepared for the sparks that fly between them. Drew Nichols, a pediatric surgeon from L.A., is not in the market for a girlfriend, or a one-night stand. What he needs is a date to his ex's wedding, and Alexa is the perfect combination of sexy and smart who will turn heads and keep him from making a drunken fool of himself. Things get complicated when Drew tells a few white lies about their relationship status and Alexa is expected to act the part of the girlfriend, but their pretense leads to the real thing when they realize they can't get enough of each other. This incredibly delicious meet-cute brings two people together who would not have met otherwise, and though it could have become predictable, Guillory keeps this contemporary romance fresh with well-drawn multicultural characters navigating the perils of long-distance relationships.--Giovanni, Kristina Copyright 2018 Booklist

In Guillory's flat debut, a stalled elevator sparks a fake date that leads to muddled emotions. After Drew Nichols, a sexy pediatrician from Los Angeles, and Alexa Monroe, the Berkeley mayor's chief of staff, are stuck in an elevator together, he inexplicably asks her to be his date at his ex-girlfriend's wedding. The charade develops into a long-distance relationship stifled by doubts and overthinking as the two protagonists attempt to reconcile their emotions and questions about each other's feelings. There are some awkward, sweet, and sexy moments between the newly acquainted characters, but the story wanes as Alexa and Drew attempt a real relationship; complications aren't developed, and the constant overthinking diminishes the strengths of the characters. Mundane details and stilted dialogue add little complexity to the plot or characters, slowing the narrative pace. The protagonists have some amusing quirks and habits that reveal their flaws, but overuse destroys their charm. The lack of exposition and rushed narrative make it difficult to fully identify with the characters or stay engaged with the story, in spite of some sensual episodes. Agent: Holly Root, Root Literary. (Feb.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Guillory's protagonists meet cute at the beginning of her sparkling debut and remain that way throughout this dual point-of-view novel. Alexa's impulsive decision to help Drew save face at the wedding of his former girlfriend and former best friend leads to a relationship that neither of them could have anticipated. Despite its fairy-tale elements, Alexa and Drew's story is imbued with the type of realistic concerns one might expect to arise in a long-distance (although both live in California, they are an airplane ride away) interracial relationship between two busy, successful people whose pasts still haunt them. Although Janina Edwards's narration would have been improved with more differentiation among the characters, Guillory's personae are so well realized that it's usually clear who is speaking even when most voices sound similar. VERDICT This debut romance is highly recommended for all public libraries.-Nicole Williams, New York © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

A fake romance starts becoming surprisingly real.Alexa is a lawyer-turned-chief of staff for the mayor of Berkeley. Drew is a pediatric surgeon from LA in town for his ex-girlfriend's wedding. When the two get stuck in an elevator in a San Francisco hotel, they unexpectedly hit it off, and Drew convinces Alexa to be his plus-one at the wedding, leading to a whole fake-relationship scheme. The relationship may be fake, but Alexa and Drew are very clearly interested in each other. As a one-night stand becomes a two-night stand becomes weekend trips between Berkeley and LA, both are in denial about how important they are to each other. As they face ups and downs, ultimately they must decide if they want to try to make a real relationship work. The writing is fast-paced, jumping between Alexa's and Drew's points of view. The two leads are charming, and both have quirky friends who add flavor to the story. The issue of race comes up since Alexa is black and Drew is white; Alexa is more aware of situations that may turn ugly, and Drew becomes more mindful of his privilege, a timely lesson that adds depth to the story. The book is also unexpectedly raunchy, since Alexa and Drew's connection starts as a purely physical one and they only later develop deeper feelings. The characters never find a situation that doesn't turn them on at least a little bit.Guillory's debut is a mix of romance and raunch that will charm rom-com fans. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

As the assistant to the mayor of Berkeley, Alexa Monroe is a resourceful woman who is prepared for any situation. But when the power suddenly goes out, trapping her in an elevator with a gorgeous doctor, she is unprepared for the sparks that fly between them. Drew Nichols, a pediatric surgeon from L.A., is not in the market for a girlfriend, or a one-night stand. What he needs is a date to his ex's wedding, and Alexa is the perfect combination of sexy and smart who will turn heads and keep him from making a drunken fool of himself. Things get complicated when Drew tells a few white lies about their relationship status and Alexa is expected to act the part of the girlfriend, but their pretense leads to the real thing when they realize they can't get enough of each other. This incredibly delicious meet-cute brings two people together who would not have met otherwise, and though it could have become predictable, Guillory keeps this contemporary romance fresh with well-drawn multicultural characters navigating the perils of long-distance relationships. Copyright 2018 Booklist Reviews.

In Guillory's flat debut, a stalled elevator sparks a fake date that leads to muddled emotions. After Drew Nichols, a sexy pediatrician from Los Angeles, and Alexa Monroe, the Berkeley mayor's chief of staff, are stuck in an elevator together, he inexplicably asks her to be his date at his ex-girlfriend's wedding. The charade develops into a long-distance relationship stifled by doubts and overthinking as the two protagonists attempt to reconcile their emotions and questions about each other's feelings. There are some awkward, sweet, and sexy moments between the newly acquainted characters, but the story wanes as Alexa and Drew attempt a real relationship; complications aren't developed, and the constant overthinking diminishes the strengths of the characters. Mundane details and stilted dialogue add little complexity to the plot or characters, slowing the narrative pace. The protagonists have some amusing quirks and habits that reveal their flaws, but overuse destroys their charm. The lack of exposition and rushed narrative make it difficult to fully identify with the characters or stay engaged with the story, in spite of some sensual episodes. Agent: Holly Root, Root Literary. (Feb.)