Once and for All

Not my favorite Dessen. The love interest was a total hound dog and I didn't find his character entertaining or attractive. Why he suddenly decided that the heroine was the one he could commit to was never explained. I did enjoy the insights into the wedding planning process, especially the unique behavior of wedding guests who step out of their ordinary lives for one magical evening (if it's done correctly).

Most of my favorite Dessen novels focus on the heroine's growth and development, with a little bit of romance thrown in for good measure. This one was too much of a plain old YA love story (a competition between hero and heroine about who can date the most/commit the most? really?) and not enough coming of age.

Maybe in my sixth decade I've finally outgrown YA novels...