‘I feel like The Wurzels visiting Buckingham Palace!’

When Emma’s boyfriend Daniel pops the question with a ring the size of a small country, she suddenly realises just how different they are. She’s the Eastenders to his Made in Chelsea. She wants a low-key wedding with close friends and family in Uncle Colin’s pub, while Daniel’s mother is expecting a society do that their high-brow guests won’t forget!

How on earth can Emma put together a celebration fit for Lords and Ladies on a shoestring budget? Not to mention the fact her cross-dressing Uncle Barbara wants to be a bridesmaid, her best mate Kelly can’t stand Daniel’s best friend Cressida, and her dad is too proud to accept any help from Daniel’s family towards the costs.

There’s three months to go until the big day. Will Emma’s happy-ever-after end in disaster?

Working Class, East End Londoner, Emma, knew that she was dating a posh boy, she just didn’t realise how posh until he popped the question, with a huge diamond ring.

Daniel, her fiancé, lived in a modest flat with one of his friends. It wasn’t until his parents held an engagement party for them at their home, that Emma realised, once again, just what different worlds the two of them came from. His parents’ home was a mansion, but not just any mansion, an enormous mansion that put her parents little council house to shame.

Giving themselves just three months to plan their wedding, the two set about trying to do it on a budget. Emma’s dad wanted to pay for the wedding, but being disabled, and out of work, he couldn’t afford much. Daniel’s mother, though has other ideas, with her £20 per napkin, goldfish as presents for all the guests, and a chocolate fountain, she’s not after doing it on the cheap – oh and let’s not forget the very expensive wedding dress that she wants Emma to buy.

Can the two of them find a compromise that will suit both worlds?

The posh meets poor, and starts a relationship, is not a new plot by any means, and has been written about time, and time again. What sets this book apart is the added fun that Lilly/Michele has added to it.

Emma is a young woman who wants to go places in her life. She is very family orientated, and loves them dearly. She doesn’t want to upset her dad by turning down his offer to pay for his only daughter’s wedding, so she decides that it is only fair that her wedding be small and modest.

Daniel, although he comes from a family who are used to partying with lords, and never having to worry about money issues, actually has his feet on the ground. He isn’t the posh boy who is carefree, and obnoxious. He wants to help change the world, and he clearly loves Emma. He doesn’t care about their upbringing differences.

The plot, although not entirely believable in today’s society, was interesting, and quite a lot of the time, very amusing. Though sometimes it’s good to get away from reality for a little while. The book is an easy, relaxing, chick-lit. One that you can take to the beach, and spend a few hours in Emma and Daniel’s life.

It is superbly written, and the love that Emma and Daniel have for one another shines off the pages. It has that uplifting feel to it, and keeps you immersed in these two young lovers’ lives, right until the very end.

I enjoyed every minute of The Big Little Wedding in Carlton Square.

*The title has been changed to The Wedding in Carlton Square.

Michele writes books with heart and humour, full of best friends, girl power and, of course, love and romance. Call them beach books or summer reads, chick lit or romcom… readers and reviewers call them “feel good”, “relatable” and “thought-provoking”.

She is both a Sunday Times and a USA Today bestselling author, raised in the US and living in London. She is very fond of naps, ice cream and Richard Curtis films but objects to spiders and the word “portion”.

I spend way too much time on Twitter and Facebook when I should be writing, so please come say hello.

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