Pitched to me as a romance novel similar to “27 Dresses” meets florists and weddings? Plus from an author whose past work I enjoyed? I was instantly intrigued. And this romance is one of those sweet stories about having the bravery to take a stand for what we want. Keep reading this book review for my full thoughts.
Summary
Every single one of Elise Ngo’s close girlfriends—Rebecca, Jesse, and Beth—is getting married within the same few months, and every single one of them has asked her to be both bridesmaid and florist. Though it’s a lot for her to juggle, the work and exposure is a boon to her struggling flower shop.
The stakes are high at Rebecca’s high-profile wedding, where the guests are mostly political connections of Rebecca’s parents. Desperate for the event to go off without a hitch, Elise enlists the help of an outside caterer who turns out to be Ben Yu, Rebecca’s elusive younger brother.
Though Ben is prickly and aloof, he offers Elise much needed business designing flowers for his mom’s campaign fundraisers and Elise begins to see there’s more to Ben than his gruff and handsome exterior. But their romance takes off as the political campaign ramps up, complicating their relationship with unforeseen consequences. Now always-the-bridesmaid Elise must fight for what she wants to finally get her own happily ever after.
Review
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
I enjoyed Circling Back to You and Fancy Meeting You Here just might be my new favorite. First of all, if I had a nickel for every romance book I read about florists, I’d have two nickels…But this one was fabulous. I love a good meet cute and could instantly relate to Elise. To the ways she pushes herself and tries to always be accommodating, to be the best, and how she didn’t let anyone in to see her struggle. She’s convinced she can do everything on her own without asking for help – talk about a bit too on the nose!
We also love a mini disaster of a meet cute! Or one that seems like a disaster and only ends up becoming something precious afterwards. The push and pull between Elise and Ben is charming. However, my favorite has to be Elise’s character and how she’s so convinced she can keep juggling, until what happens when it starts to collapse? Fancy Meeting You Here morphs into a question of whether they can make their relationship work. Whether the timing just isn’t right.
It’s also a story that celebrates how the right person can help us see we need help, to show us it’s okay to take a chance. This is an easy recommendation from me for one of those romances that would be perfect to bring on vacation! Find Fancy Meeting You Here on Goodreads, Storygraph, Amazon, Bookshop.org, & Blackwells.