Mating Rituals of the North American WASP - Lauren Lipton

Mating Rituals of the North American WASP is another great selection from Miriam at the Hachette Book Group for an Early Bird BlogTour!

Peggy has been living with her boyfriend Brock for seven years now. As she heads to Vegas for a friend's bachelorette party, she gives Brock an ultimatum - they need to be engaged within a year or she'll leave. Peggy has a great time in Vegas. Maybe too great. She wakes up the morning of departure to find herself (fully clothed) in bed with a nice looking man (fully clothed as well.) She has no idea who he is or what she did the night before. (Except maybe drink a little too much) She sneaks out of the room, meets up with her best friend and business partner Bex and they head back to New York.
Bex has no answer either when Peggy asks "What did I do!". But someone does. She gets her answer when she gets a call from someone named Luke - who informs her that they got married that night in Vegas! Luke is Luke Silas Sedgwick of the New Nineveh, Connecticut Sedgwicks. (said with a slightly nasal upper crust tone...) They both agree that an annulment would be appropriate. That is until Luke's great aunt makes them an offer neither can refuse. Stay married for a year and they'll inherit millions. Both need the money, so they agree to the terms.

And that's as far into the plot as I'm going to get. What follows is a tale of near hits/misses, he thinks/she thinks, missed opportunities and a fairy tale ending. Is there such a thing as love at first sight?

Lipton has crafted an entertaining read with likable characters. I especially enjoyed Aunt Abigail - a feisty 90 year old, who seems to know a bit more about Luke and Peggy than they do. The depictions of 'society' were quite funny. Bunny, Liddy, Topher, The Daughters of New England, the importance of wearing just the right clothes, not eating at get-togethers and painting your house white with black shutters provided a fun look at the 'upper crust'. Peggy herself was a great character, warm, funny and caring. Her boyfriend Brock is a perfect dolt. Luke is that fairy tale prince - poetry writing, sensitive and romantic.

None of the story will be a surprise, but Lipton has crafted a thoroughly entertaining feel good book. The movie What Happens in Vegas has a similar plot. Although, I could see Matthew McConaughey starring in a movie of Mating Rituals.

If you're looking for the perfect book to stick in your beach bag or read in the hammock (that's where I read mine!) then this is the book for you!

Want a sneak peek? Read an excerpt of Mating Rituals of the North American Wasp.

You can catch up with Lauren on her website, her blog or on Facebook.

Thanks to Drey for putting together a list of other stops on the tour for Mating Rituals fo the North American WASP.