[Review: The Chapel Wars by Lindsey Leavitt]

"The Chapel Wars"
Author: Lindsey Leavitt
Series: None
Pages: 304
Genre: YA, Contemporary
Date Published: May 6th, 2014
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Format Read: eARC provided by publisher (via NetGalley) for honest review

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Summary:

Acclaimed author Lindsey Leavitt brings her trademark heart, humor, and romance to her hometown--Vegas
Sixteen-year-old Holly wants to remember her Grandpa forever, but she’d rather forget what he left her in his will: his wedding chapel on the Las Vegas strip. Whatever happened to gold watches, savings bonds, or some normal inheritance?

And then there's Grandpa's letter. Not only is she running the business with her recently divorced parents, but she needs to make some serious money--fast. Grandpa also insists Holly reach out to Dax, the grandson of her family's mortal enemy and owner of the cheesy chapel next door. No matter how cute Dax is, Holly needs to stay focused: on her group of guy friends, her disjointed family, work, school and... Dax. No wait, not Dax.

Holly’s chapel represents everything she’s ever loved in her past. Dax might be everything she could ever love in the future. But as for right now, there's a wedding chapel to save.

-Goodreads

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My Thoughts:

An Open Letter To The Chapel Wars,

First off, way to have a lot of depth for a book that sounded really fluffy!  I went into you thinking I'd get ridiculous weddings, forbidden love, goofy family antics and "playing with the boys".  Of course you delivered on all of that, but you also gave me a story that dealt with grief, the disassemblely of families, rocky relationships and learning how to grow up.  I liked that you were layered and not just full of the fluff.  I also enjoyed the fact that you made me laugh loads of times.  Good job book.  Good job.

-The White Unicorn

I've heard great things about Leavitt's writing so I was excited to get my hands on an ARC of this book.  It just sounded so cute and I'm always down to read a contemporary that has a unique premise.  Well, this book delivered.  Leavitt has this way of writing that makes things feel real, while she also weaves really random happenings throughout her story.  Even if you're giggling with glee, you know that she's saying so much more then meets the eye.  She's a delightful storyteller.

The base of The Chapel Wars is a love story.  Holly's grandfather dies and leaves her with his wedding chapel on the Vegas Strip, and a letter for his main enemies grandson.  Holly wasn't counting on this and she definitely wasn't ready to fall for the only boy that would be off limits for her... but... she does.  Dex and Holly have an interesting relationship that isn't full of insta-love.  In fact Dex falls much faster then Holly.  It makes things interesting.  That being said the romance is still really over the top with the whole Romeo and Juliet comparison, but I found that it really worked for the story.  I liked these two, a lot!

Even though the book is a love story it also gives us a lot of other stuff.  Holly isn't your typical girly girl.  She surrounds herself with a bunch of guy friends and doesn't really understand how girls work.  She loves working and her job and high stress level situations.  She's just a really cool girl, even if her views on love are a little off kilter.  I adored the relationships that Holly had with her guy friends.  The whole thing felt really authentic and she and Sam were a great platonic guy/girl bff relationship.

Family also had a large role to play in the book.  We didn't have absent parents in this book.  Nope, mom and dad and little bro were in the middle of everything, all the time.  Leavitt really played with the whole family dynamic thing and gave us an honest, completely messed up family to read about. 

Like I said, there is a lot going on in this book.  The focus on the wedding chapel was awesome as well.  To see inside the Vegas Strip like that was glorious!  If you're looking for a fun book that also packs a great emotional punch, look no farther.  This is it.

Rating:

 4 Unicorns = Close to perfect!