TILLY MAGUIRE AND THE ROYAL WEDDING MESS BY EMMA GREY

Rating: 4 stars

Goodreads Description:

Aspiring writer, 18-year-old Tilly Maguire, is a totally reformed ex-superfan of British boyband singer, Reuben Vaughan. Yeah, she was going to marry him when she was thirteen, but that fangirl phase is way in her past now, along with an unfortunate side ponytail and a weird obsession with galaxy leggings – ugh. Cringe!

When her writing wins Tilly a six-week internship at a top London PR firm, she doesn’t expect to stumble from a long-haul flight straight into an A-list debacle of her own making, but these things happen. She proves to the entire world that jet lad and social media definitely don’t mix.

Obviously, Tilly didn’t intend to get tangled in a ridiculous scandal involving the British royal family. She’s not the attention-seeking type! She’s just a socially awkward introvert, with a galloping case of anxiety made even worse after a high-profile run-in with the very last person she ever imagined she’d meet for real.

Not on her gap year, anyway.

And not like this!

Review:

A delightful contemporary read with a dash of drama!

And dare I say, a little reminiscent of The Princess Diaries.

Now, as someone who is not only studying PR but also is prone to running out the door with her face half done and one shoe on, I can proudly say that I 100% relate to Tilly Maguire! From the get-go, she’s uncoordinated, lost in a foreign country, jet-lagged and making last-minute impulsive decisions. Essentially, she’s the ever-so dorky Amelia Thermopolis from The Princess Diaries making decisions on the fly and hoping for the best outcome, relatable right?

Following Tilly’s first assignment which results in a meeting with her teenage fangirl crush, Reuben Vaughan, the whacky antics ensue of her navigating her way through a world of celebrity crushed, publicity, gossip, innuendo and plenty of drama. Tilly’s adventures in London prove just how tough of a gig it can be to work in PR – especially when overseas and out of one’s comfort zone – and the ability to maintain a professional profile whilst simultaneously not letting feelings get in the way.

The dynamic between Tilly and Reuben is a mix of sorts; Tilly brings her fiery sass but also feels insecure about her writing and about potentially having messed up Reuben’s career. Whereas Reuben remains cool and calm under pressure, very suave in the way he handles situations and is able to read Tilly almost like an open book. Together the pair certainly seem to balance each other out, knowing when to make their quips and when time alone is needed.

The overall plot of Tilly Maguire and The Royal Wedding Mess is placed in numerous locations within London and its surrounding countryside. The bigger events such as Tilly’s slip-up, her crazy night of adventure with Reuben and her last-minute decisions and the chaos of said decisions all tend to center around Central London. Unlike the more reserved moments between our two protagonists, where they escape the insane popstar life to the countryside to hide from paparazzi and gather their bearings.

Overall, the plot runs at a reasonable pace. The reader almost feels like they’re there with Tilly during the chaotic, fast-paced moments, turning the page as quickly as possible to see what happens next. But are also able to take a moment to breathe and watch in anticipation during the aforementioned quieter moments in London’s countryside, taking one’s time to appreciate the slower points of the story.

This is the first book by Emma Grey that I have read and whilst I pretty much went into it blindly, I was pleasantly surprised by how easy of a read this book was! Grey has created a story that not only has a steady pace but enables the story to be played out almost like a TV show. The perspective of the story weaves brilliantly through the book, not jumping ahead in the story and taking the time to allow the reader to imagine each scene presented. Grey’s writing flows easily, maintaining a simple yet uplifting voice to the reader and keeping within the genre of YA contemporary romance.

I personally adored Tilly Maguire and The Royal Wedding Mess! It was a simple and sweet contemporary read full of fluff, goofy shenanigans, and drama galore!

I, fortunately, read this during a bit of a book slump and can happily say that it was the perfect little contemporary pick me up that I needed to get me out of my slump and back into my book lovin’ ways.

Finally, a HUGE thank you to HarperCollins for sending me a copy of Tilly Maguire and The Royal Wedding Messin exchange for an honest review, it was truly a delight to read and review!