The Wedding Planner's Daughter

Willafred ‘Willa ’Havisham is a 12 year old, cherry –cordial eating, book-reading, idealistic youngster. Her widowed mum, the beautiful Stella Havisham is a reputed wedding planner. But despite the romanticism of her chosen profession, Stella is stern and unbending. Losing her husband straight after the wedding night has left her embittered and brutally practical. Her life and Willa’s (unfortunately) are run by a set of strict rules. Stella has great expectations for Willa which do not involve waiting around for Prince Charming. Running from deeper emotions herself, the slightest whiff of a serious romance has Stella reaching for her set of red trunks and traipsing off to a new place…with the reluctant Willa in tow.

Never staying long in a single place, Willa rarely has the time to lay down roots and form lasting relationships. Her only solace lies in her books and the characters between the pages who seem to make reliable friends. Every birthday, as she blows out the candles, she wishes for the same thing: a father and the chance to settle down, once and for all. And every year, it seems that she could probably be the worst wisher ever in the history of candle-blowers!

But the tides are finally changing. Mother and daughter move back to their hometown – Bramble. And the sleepy líl seaport is littered with friends waiting to be made. Willa’s candy-making Nana; Mr.Tweed, the elderly book-store owner who calls Willa his kindred spirit and always has a book kept warm for Willa under his dozing cat; the gregarious Sulamina Mum, brighter than a peacock and always ready with a hug and quirky advice; Tina, the potential best-friend-in-the-making; Joseph Francis Kennelly (JFK), the cute boy who always has a shy, dimpled smile ready for Willa.....and best of all the new next-door neighbour Sam Gracemore, a handsome poet and Willa’s new English teacher. He seems to be perfect father-material and is smitten by the lovely Stella. To Willa’s delight, the feelings are reluctantly reciprocated.

But will Stella stick it out or run scared again? As Willa and the town-folk play cupid to the fledgling romance…….we get a tantalising glimpse into the charm and warmth of a small-town and it’s people. Murtagh weaves in the magic of the salty air, the cobble-stoned paths, the tinge of the setting sun, the feel of grainy sand between your toes, the taste of melting chocolate, the tartness of cherries and the romanticism of a night sky littered with sparkling stars.

The story could very well be the definition of heart-warming. Even the seemingly-sappy moments make you smile and have you rooting earnestly for Willa and her match-making efforts. With a lot of well-meaning homilies adroitly woven into the plot, you come away with a feeling of being inspired as well as entertained.

A perfect read for a drizzly day and a must-add on every pre-teen’s summer reading list.