BOOK REVIEW: Dog Day Wedding by Rich Amooi

Giovanni Roma was jilted at the altar. Twice. Meeting Natalie is an enchanting distraction—too bad she’s engaged to another man. To top it off, Giovanni’s mother has a mouth with no filter and is obsessed with finding her son a suitable baby-maker.

Natalie DeMarco is a good cop with one problem. Cold feet. Her fiancĂ© is a decent man, but she’s starting to wonder if decent is good enough. Maybe the doubts could be blamed on Giovanni, that guitar-making Italian hunk next door.

Giovanni knows he must do something, but things get out of hand when he learns he’s not the only one who objects to the wedding. 


I've read Amooi's work before and really liked it.  Yes it was cheesy but it was good cheesy and it wasn't over the top.  This story though just didn't flow for me.  There were a few things that were too over the top and not just fun cheesiness.  The story line was good.  An alter runner, same guy two girls.  An unlikely rescue of a runaway dog that leads to him meeting his neighbor's granddaughter.  Of course he doesn't realize that until his busted in his backyard in his underwear.  Don't ask.  He was just left at the alter, again, remember.  The nieghbor is an amazing charter, a really cool man that really made the story better for his role.  Some of the characters really didn't.  Some were confusing and some.  Well some were just too much.  

Giovanni's mother was a force to be reckoned with.  And not in a believable way.  She was too crass, too rude, so far over the top that even the explanation at the end about why she was that way didn't even help redeem her.  I guess, I understand where this woman was coming from but there's a line of too much.  And several times this character crossed this line.  Giovanni's friends were also a but much.  Them I could understand because their weirdness was well written.  Just so many of these characters were classic in their role but at the same time many times too cliche.  Natalie's fiancee Jacks is a perfect example of too cliche.  He lost his believably due to that.  

Even the wrap up of the book was just too over the top.  It was hilarious, which Amooi does with flair but oh goodness and biscuits.  You may think I truly did not like this book and you would only be partly right.  I don't see it sitting on my reread list.  However, like I said Amooi does hilarious with a flair.  This book made me laugh so many times (between face-palms of course) even his disclaimer at the beginning is interesting.  I don't regret reading this book but at the same time it's not high on the list of reread either.  I like Amooi.  I will read Amooi again.  But, just know if you can't stand over the top or a lot of four letter words turn you off then this is not the book for you.  If you can take the salt with the pepper then have a go. 

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Dog Day Wedding
About Rich Amooi
Rich Amooi is a former Silicon Valley radio personality and wedding DJ who now writes romantic comedies full-time. He is happily married to a kiss monster imported from Spain. Rich believes in public displays of affection, silliness, infinite possibilities, donuts, gratitude, laughter, and happily ever after.

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