Wouldn't Miss It for the World [Paperback]

Tara McCarthy (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 14, 2007

A striking exploration of dubious pursuits like destination weddings, book clubs, and rock 'n' roll, Wouldn't Miss It for the World is a spirited and surprising new novel from Tara McCarthy, the author of Love Will Tear Us Apart.

The cast of characters that Tara McCarthy sends down to the tiny Central American country of Belize for a destination wedding are in for a few surprises. There's mother-of-the-bride Alice, a widow, who is about to come face-to-face with an impressive array of Belizean creatures from toucans to intriguing ex-pats. There's Abby, who would rather be back home at Chelsea Lambert's Sweet Sixteen but isn't entirely displeased with the effect her new black bikini has o n some of the wedding guests. And there's Dan, an old friend of the groom, who has decided it's time to declare his love for the bride -- until complications with his girlfriend arise. As their story unfolds against a backdrop of Mayan temples, butterfly farms, and coral reefs, we learn, too, about the bride and the groom. June and Cash are members of the Starter House, an up-and-coming rock band that is certain to either break through or break up -- and this will be the week that decides it.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

McCarthy (Love Will Tear Us Apart) illustrates how weddings bring out the best and worst in people in her second novel, a mixed if overstuffed bag. Indie rocker bride-to-be June Siren; her high-strung mother, Alice; the groom's college-bound stepsister, Abby McKay; and best man Dan Eshom each share roving POV duty as Alice presides fitfully over planning the destination wedding in Belize, June mulls leaving her band (her intended, Cash, is a bandmate) to take a big money gig composing music for a kid's show, Abby struggles through late adolescent woes, and Dan is increasingly tormented by his longstanding crush on June. The bulk of the tale takes place in Belize, where a romance helps transform Alice; Abby becomes infatuated with June's brother (for better or for worse); Dan debates telling June that he's in love with her; and June weighs her career options and marries the perfect man. For a chick lit book, there's surprising depth and a finely tuned cast.
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From Booklist

Bandmates and soul mates June and Cash have invited their friends and family to Belize for their wedding. June's widowed mother Alice can't relate to her hip rock-star daughter but enjoys the exotic locale—especially after meeting a handsome resident. Cash's best friend, Dan, has always been in love with June and plans to reveal his feelings on the eve of the wedding. And June herself hasn't yet told Cash about a dream job offer that may spell the end of their band. This tale about a destination wedding rocked by a series of surprises is sweet, funny, and fun to read. The author of Love Will Tear Us Apart (2005) does a fine job creating a cast of varied and interesting characters readers will enjoy getting to know. McCarthy, who also writes fiction for teens as Tara Altebrando, may attract some of her younger fans with a story line involving Cash's 17-year-old stepsister. Kostovski, Aleksandra

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Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Pocket Books; Original edition (August 14, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416503250
• ISBN-13: 978-1416503255
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,927,627 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Average prose with interesting locale, January 11, 2009

By 

Laura Smith "busycrazymama" (Washington) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Wouldn't Miss It for the World (Paperback)

I wouldn't call this a "complete waste of time" or "drawn out" as another reviewer describes. It is a story about characters, and the pace is fine. What I liked about this book was three things... a) the story vacillates between current events (destination wedding in Belize) and flashbacks, done in italics and for pages at a time, which gives us depth of the story and the backdrop for the drama, and each time we unfold something that makes the current events make more sense; b) the backdrop of Belize is fun and is was nice to visualize it for a bit of escapism from our current winter weather; and c) some of the main characters are in a rock band and there are details of that which are unusual for this kind of fiction, so it was a refreshing change. There were also characters of every generation and several I could really relate to. The author gave each of them a convincing personality and chemistry. However, I DID find myself skimming over some of it, or at least reading superfast, as on occassion there was too much detail or distraction. But, no more so than the average chick lit. To be fair: it's not a blockbuster that you should recommend to everyone you know, but it IS entertaining and readable to the last page and I enjoyed it as such. It's nice to read fluffy stuff in between denser reading, and this is that - fluffy and sweet and nice. An average read.

5.0 out of 5 stars Surprised at bad reviews, February 27, 2010

By 

A. Callis "anthropologist and geek girl" (Raleigh, NC United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Wouldn't Miss It for the World (Paperback)

I'm really surprised at the low star count for this book. I just finished it, and found it to be an enjoyable read. Was it typical chick lit - no. And thank god for that. Rather, this read more like lad lit - like Nick Hornby light, a character piece where everyone has jagged edges, and the end doesn't smooth them all into some perfect fit. The relationships are complex, and the characters are forced to grow within them, rather than waiting around for happily ever after. I would rate it 4.5 stars, and put it down feeling energized and satisfied with what we'd been told, and what was left unknown.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Awful book, September 9, 2008

By 

K. Nigl - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Wouldn't Miss It for the World (Paperback)

I bought this on clearance to read after recovering from surgery. The book was worse than the surgery. Way too long and drawn out. I kept hoping it would get better but it never did. I should have known after trying to trudge through all this stupid unnecessary background information in italics at the beginning. And then, more was added in different spots throughout the book, which I didn't bother to read. I understand why it was on clearance but I wouldn't even recommend borrowing it from the library. What a waste of time.