Abigail and Alexa Save the Wedding

This was a light, no spice read and it had some unexpected layers that I loved. It's a wedding tale told from the perspectives of Abigail and Alexa as they acclimate to their new roles as MOG (Mother of the Groom) and MOB (Mother of the Bride) for the upcoming nuptials of their kids. 

Abigail and Alexa are two very different women. Abigail (MOG) is a married upper middle-class woman living in Connecticut who is tired of putting up social pretenses when, in private, their finances are in shambles. Alexa (MOB) is a single-by-choice mother and a successful businesswoman who wonders if her choices have set her daughter up for success on the marriage front. 

When things go off the rails, can these two mothers get over their differences and rescue the wedding? When they join forces with some behind-the-scenes mom scheming and get help from the Merry Widows (a hilarious gaggle of sassy, rich old dames), nothing is going to stop them! 

As a 50-something mom of three 20-somethings, I loved that this story focuses on two middle-aged women from different walks of life. Through them we witness their insecurities, struggles and ultimately the similarities between them as they try to help their kids get hitched. I also enjoyed the advice columns at the start of chapters by 'Aunt B", a wedding etiquette blogger, that added humour and some solid advice that showed how our roles as mothers change and transition as our kids get married. 

This is a delightfully predictable and heartwarming story with a cozy vibe that is just in time for the popular summer wedding season! 

Disclaimer: Thanks to William Morrow Books for the complimentary advanced digital copy of this book which was given in exchange for my honest review.

My Rating: 4 stars

Author: Lian Dolan

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Type and Source: ebook from publisher via NetGalley

Publisher: William Morrow

First Published: May 20, 2025

Read: May 5 - 12, 2025

Book Description from GoodReads: Everyone loves—and hates—a big fancy wedding! From the author of Lost and Found in Paris and The Marriage Sabbatical comes a champagne-sparkling summer read about two very different women planning their children’s wedding in glamorous Montecito, California.

You’re invited...to a delightful modern comedy of manners about two moms, the best-laid plans, and one very memorable wedding.

Penelope and Chase make a lovely couple. She’s a bubbly Southern California girl with killer work ethic. Chase is smart and charming and has political aspirations. They’re planning a spectacular California wedding, wrapped in peonies and thousands of little white lights, soaked in custom cocktails and romantic hashtags. Everyone’s excited about Penny and Chase’s wedding­­­­­­—except their mothers.

The Mother of the Bride, suave Greek-born Alexa Diamandis, doesn’t understand why any woman would get married. Ever! Raised in Athens and now perfectly situated in sun-splashed Montecito, California, she raised Penny as single mother by choice, supported by Lord Simon Fox, her old college friend who just happens to be an English aristocrat, and a wealthy circle of lady friends who call themselves the Merry Widows.

The Mother of the Groom, Abigail Blakeman, is a garden club stalwart firmly planted in coastal Connecticut. She thinks the whole enterprise would be so much easier if the wedding was at their golf club. Especially because the Blakeman’s fortunes have taken a turn for the worse—not that you would ever know it by looking at Abigail. Keeping up appearances is exhausting, but it is everything.  

But when a sudden twist of fate calls them into action, these two very different women are forced to take over the wedding planning. Despite their differences, Alexa and Abigail charge in to save the day. How far will two moms go to make their children’s dream wedding a reality?