Book Review: Alice J. Wisler's A Wedding Invitation

   From Goodreads: After returning home from teaching English at a refugee camp in the Philippines, Samantha Bravencourt enjoys her quiet life working at her mother's clothing boutique in Falls Church, Virginia. When she receives an invitation to a wedding in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, she looks forward to reconnecting with her college friend. Instead her life collides with Carson, a fellow teacher and the man who broke her heart, and a young Amerasian refugee named Lien who needs Samantha and Carson's help to find her mother before Lien's own wedding. When the search for Lien's mother reveals surprising secrets from the past, Samantha must reevaluate her own memories and decide whether to continue to play it safe or take a risk that could change her life.  
    I guess we probably all have someone from our past that could return at any moment and sweep us off our feet, or do we? Sometimes I think people are in the past for a reason.
    The book is a really light read. The flashbacks seem too randomly thrown in, but they are the most interesting parts.  I thought it was interesting to see Sam's different experience with another culture, and the dynamic between her and Carson. Though I wasn't sure why she was attracted to him since he was a jerk to her. Then again I guess all of us have stumbled upon that mistake.
   The part that just bugged me to no end was how dumb Sam is.  She is seriously the offensive, stereotypical female that people talk about.  She mixes up events all the time such as going to the wrong wedding, or wearing her work shoes when it isn't a work day. You can only do that so many times before it is annoying. Plus she did not know what a Beluga whale is! Seriously? I live in the middle of the country in rural Georgia, of the U.S, and I know what a Beluga whale is. I've known since childhood, but she is an adult woman who has traveled to foreign countries and she doesn't know what a Beluga whale is? That is messed up.
    Anyways, if you can overlook the annoyance of the lead character then you'll enjoy this light, easy read. It took me a few days to get through it, which is longer than usual. It wasn't standout, but readable. You can check out A Wedding Invitation at Amazon.

This book was provided by Bethany House Publishers in exchange for a review.