The Marriage of Innis Wilkinson

by Lauren H Brandenburg

[Witty and Sarcastic Bookclub]

The Marriage of Innis Wilkinson is heartwarming, funny, and delightful. Imagine scooping up the zany background characters from the show Gilmore Girls, along with an adorable and kooky town, and making them the main focus of a book, and you’ve got this sweet and funny romp.

Margarette is engaged to marry Roy. However, there’s a big problem: she’s a Toft and he’s a Blackwell. These families have been at each other’s throats for as long as anyone can remember and no wedding is going to change that. This is a feud of Shakespearean proportions, and if Margarette and Roy aren’t careful, it could end just as badly. Meanwhile, the town might have seen its first murder in memory, someone has stolen the recipe to the incredibly potent communion wine and is spiking drinks left and right, and a little elementary school student is predicting doom at every turn. Can Margarette and Roy manage to survive all the feud-related nonsense, or will their wedding go the way of the dodo?

I don’t think there’s a single thing that I didn’t love about this book! The setting- a small town with a weeks’ long festival- is a perfect backdrop for the hijinks the characters get into. Everyone knows everyone, which makes the small town seem even smaller. The two feuding families couldn’t be more different, with everyone on one side or the other. The only thing they agree on is that Tofts and Blackwells shouldn’t marry.

And the characters! The Marriage of Innis Wilkinson is chock-full of wonderful, zany people. From Sylvia, the hairdresser whose clients have to get their hair fixed by someone else afterward, to Earl, who always has a colander on his head, each one of them is a fun addition to the book. The way their personalities play off each other and add to the general zaniness of the story is utterly fantastic.

While there are mysterious goings-on that need to be solved, the main charm of this book is in the character development and the sweetness that shines through each page. This is a perfect cozy read. Cuddle up with your favorite warm beverage and get ready to laugh, smile, and leave the stresses of the real world behind for a bit. The Marriage of Innis Wilkinson is a hug in book form and I loved every moment of it.