‘I was completely charmed by The Marriage of Innis Wilkinson. What a marvelous sequel to The Death of Mungo Blackwell. Lauren is a refreshing, talented storyteller. She’s an author I’ve added to my favorites list.’ Rachel Hauck, NYTimes Bestselling Author Roy Blackwell has proposed to Margarette Toft. A controversial decision given their families are sworn enemies! Soon Coraloo’s feuding clans … feuding clans are competing to organize events for the most talked about wedding of the year… and glorious chaos ensues! But as the depth of the two families’ animosity becomes clear, Roy and Margarette’s relationship begins to falter.
Then Roy unearths a town secret involving the mysterious marriage of Innis Wilkinson and a murder. Parallels between the past and present rock the couple even further.
But, as the whole truth comes to light, Roy and Margarette learn more than they could have imagined about love, family, and finding a place in the world.
Heart-warming and charming, The Marriage of Innis Wilkinson will inspire joy and laughter.
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Margarette Toft is a grade six teacher and is a Toft. That last name has marked her to have all Blackwells in the Coraloo as sworn enemies. She had been engaged before but felt that the union was not “the one.” She is a meticulous woman who kept notebooks and plans for anything and everything. She could never prepare herself to become a Blackwell.
Roy Blackwell is Coraloo’s town constable and, ironically, is a bit of a hypochondriac. (I blame the latter one on his grandmother’s “The Complete Medical Handbook” that he casually reads on occasion. He scrutinizes each bodily ailment he comes into contact with.) He is a quiet man who keeps to himself and hardly muddles with the town’s Blackwells vs. Tofts contentions. It is a surprise boyfriend/fiance of Margarette Toft!
Innis Imogen-Laken Toft is the only daughter of Isabelle Donadieu, an outsider who settled in Coraloo. She has an unusual past as a daughter of a well-known seamstress and was the “keeper of the scissors” based on a fortune teller then later wooed by a traveling actor. She later learned how to alter and hem from her mother but was only until later that she realized her gift a lot later in her life and after a life-changing event.
The Marriage of Innis Wilkinson is a slow-burn, self-realization, and the deeper meaning of a relationship kind of book. Its colorful and creative descriptions of the people and the town was a gift. The story flowed organically and seamlessly as the characters discover themselves. The story starts us off at the town’s annual Heaken Beaver Festival, where readers will see the sliced personalities making up Coraloo. The festival is known to produce the “crazies” in people, but little did I know that there is something to this occurrence.
Basing on the title and first impression, I thought I got the book wrong! The only mention of Innis Wilkinson was in Chapter 1 and nothing else until further down the book. It puzzled me, but I kept reading the book until I finally understood Innis’ role and why the author left her story later.
I enjoyed the historical journey of the town’s inception, the founders, and the feud between the Blackwell and the Tofts. The stories were funny and cute. While some serious and sad, it was engaging to keep me reading. Coraloo’s characters all had their “shortcoming,” but in the end, they all made the town what it is – exciting and “rich in history.”
The stories are the “stars” of this book – hidden, sad, embarrassing, sacred, and, at times, funny. The author is a great storyteller and was very detailed and thought in each character’s focus that shaped Coraloo and its people.
Many charming flashbacks gave readers a better understanding and later connected the importance of Coraloo’s history and tradition.
Although there are a lot of mini-stories in the book, I did not feel overwhelmed or confused. It is with these stories that I got to connect to the characters and the town. The random stories ranged from mystery wedding dressmaker, surprising wedding dress traditions, missing recipe, and cold case murders to the end of finding what’s in Wilkson’s big bag that he lugged around. It was all in the name of entertaining readers.
The author uses the past to help readers connect and understand how a simple tradition/superstition will affect even the youngest of minds. I am glad that Margarette, the teacher, is there to make sure it does not go overboard because some of the kids’ re-interpretations were “out-there,” especially on who did what that caused the feud. It was not all silly “misunderstandings” between townfolks that make up the book. In this sleepy town, who would have known an unsolved murder case that lands on Roy’s lap.
A unique thing about the book is how Innis’ story is juxtaposed with Margarette’s. There were so many similarities both women went through, wherein both:-
1) are Tofts without knowing it,
2) experienced life outside of Coralee and traveled
3) followed their heart versus tradition with choosing their partners, etc.
With so many similarities, they seem to connect at a deeper level with each other’s past and experiences than they realize.
Innis’ story came as a cruel and sinister one. I felt she was robbed of her simplicity and innocence by a conniving man. Readers will relate and empathize as the trainwreck of deception unfolds. That experience may have beaten her, but not broken. I was in awe of her bravery in refocusing her efforts on herself.
Margarette’s story was within her family – wherein her family members kept discouraging her from marrying Roy. It was a mash-up of snide side-comments to even blaming her for all the “bad luck” happening.
In the end, both went against their family tradition for someone who would fight, protect, and keep them safe, which is what a marriage is all about. The rest are just “trimmings” that can either be kept or cut away if in excess.
My most favorite part of the book was how Roy proposed! It is swoon-worthy not because it was lavishly staged but the opposite! It was the most subdued proposal ever, but it felt right for Roy and Margarette. It is what Margarette wanted.
**Swoon-worthy scene**
I found “interruptions” when Roy is trying to do his job of questioning suspects hilarious. It always comes at an awkward time and leaves Roy (and the readers) at a stand-still as we try to piece together the mystery. The suspects become elusive and disappear! Those moments are stellar, and I always grinned when it happened.
The story’s mystery was solved (?) after so many years after the perpetrator has been long gone. Things are what they seem, and I would not have guessed the “killer” in the end. Roy did and after piecing together stories from each of the townspeople. I believe Roy is very deserving to be a constable, even if he does not believe it.
In summary, The Wedding of Marriage of Innis Wilkinson is engaging and enlightening work. There is a right balance of love, humor, and self-reflection to become the best version of ourselves to the world.
It was a compelling read with its colorful descriptions of the town and people. Roy and Margarette both found happiness with each other because that’s what they choose to do – to trim the excess and let the beauty come out from within.
It makes readers:
(a) realize that the essential element in a relationship is the people inside the relationship, making everything bearable and braver in a world full of doubt and deceptions, and
(b) not everything is what it seems; nothing is just black and white. It could sometimes be grey and “purple and red.”
I hope you get this book and let me know what you think!
Note: The reflective questions at the back of the book were a great treat to recall and relive the wonderful tale again and again. I was able to tackle a lot of the questions given.
I love new voices in the world of Rom-Com!
This book was a delight to read and I couldn’t put it down because I loved the characters and how this new to me author put them through their paces. I snickered through some of it and I clapped my hands through others.
This author has done her job in keeping me entertained. I was absolutely pleased with it.
It’s amazing what we’ll do to please other people. Especially if we love them enough. This is why I admired Roy Blackwell so much.
Margarette is quite the character herself. I really loved in getting to know her.
The family feud I thought sort of reminded me of the Hatfield and McCoy one except there wasn’t any bloodshed involved which is good news of course.
I will need to go back and read Lauren’s other book because in a way I felt like I missed out on so much! I didn’t know there was another book with this one!
I recommend this book especially if you love rom-com. This book brightened my day considerably
Thank you Lauren. It was awesome!
My thanks for a copy of this book.
I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.
I had trouble getting into this book at the beginning but it soon captured my interest. It’s quite different then what I typically read. To me it felt part Romeo and Juliet and part fairy tale. The story is about Roy Blackwell and Margarette Taft who had fallen in love in spite of the long lasting feud between their families. The story had a fairy tale feel as if the town of Coraloo was cast under a magic spell with the colorful townspeople, superstitions and the deep family traditions that become very pronounced during the month long festival. All the weird things that happened felt unreal but somehow just fits with this story. Mixed in to their story is the story of Innis Wilkinson. The girl with the scissors. That added a different twist to the story.
I liked all the different family members. Each had their own personality. It’s hard to choose who is my favorite.
I think the life lessons in this book can be a good reminder to the reader as well.
This was a different book then what I am used to. It took me awhile to get to and I might not have kept reading but I am glad that I did.
I recommend this book to family and friends.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.
A whimsical romantic comedy centering on Roy Blackwell and Margarette Toft as they prepare for their impending nuptials during the most unpredictable time of the year, between feuding families, a town secret and the crazy happenings of the festival, what could possibly go wrong?
A delightful read, with a full cast of colorful characters that make the enchanting town of Coraloo come alive. I loved the comfortable chemistry between Roy and Margarette, and how they work together to overcome obstacles that threaten their union and unravel the mystery of Innis Wilkinson. This story drifts forward and back in time, as we learn the history of some of the long held prejudices and superstitions of the residents of Coraloo, in this backstory dependent storyline.
Overall, a fun-filled, light-hearted read about the things that we bring and leave behind going into a marriage. I loved getting to know the colorful members of the Coraloo township, both inside and outside the market. There are many hilarious mishaps along the way, and I admired how so many characters were comfortable being their our quirky selves. A sweet romantic comedy, whimsical, and fun!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
If I had to come up with just one word to best describe The Marriage of Innis Wilkinson, that word would without a doubt would be… charming!
I must admit this was one of those instances when I absolutely judged the book by it’s cover… but honestly though… who could blame me? This cover was so unique and charming that I couldn’t help but be drawn in. I quickly learned that that quirkiness that had drawn me to the book from the cover to start with carried on throughout the story as well.
In The Marriage of Innis Wilkinson, we are taken to the intriguing town of Coraloo where we are introduced to constable Roy Blackwell and schoolteacher Margarette Toft who’ve recently gotten engaged. The problem? Theirs is a Romeo and Juliet love with their families having such a long lasting feud no one really quite knows what started it all. Between the feud, their families, and the very odd traditions in their town, will they truly be able to pull it off? And how does the mysterious marriage of Innis Wilkinson figure into it all?
I love books about quirky little towns– and have read MANY. But I must say, this one may be the quirkiest of all. The traditions and superstitions are larger than life, but you couldn’t help but love each and every unique character introduced. I couldn’t help but want to visit this fictional town just to take it all in and quite honestly, I wasn’t ready to leave. This is just the kind of escape from reality that makes me fall in love with reading.
If you enjoy crazy little towns, family feuds and a bit of mystery, this is one book not to be missed! I loved it!
**I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for consideration. All thoughts are my own.
A few pages into The Marriage of Innis Wilkinson I knew this book was unique, having a tone and feel that I haven’t felt in a book in a very long time. There is something about the small town of Coraloo that has the words “quirky” and “charming” echoing through the pages. With feuding families, and long-time held traditions that make no sense whatsoever to an outsider, you feel like you’re in a time warp instead of modern day, and feel lucky to catch a glimpse of this unconventional town.
The novel parallels two very different, yet strangely similar timelines. The first is the wedding planning of two lovebirds, Roy and Margarette, each from one of the feuding families, the Tofts and the Blackwells, that have hated each other for generations. So long, in fact, that no one can give a clear answer of why the hatred for the other is so strong! The just let the feud continue, and both Roy and Margarette hope that their union will bring about peace to the rivals. To make things even more ambitious they plan on having the wedding by the end of the month.
The second timeline is the life story of Innis Wilkinson, the illusive cleaning lady of Coraloo, who was also the old seamstresses daughter, a woman who had her own superstitions, and made Innis’s life all the more compelling.
The majority of the story takes place during the annual festival that happens in Coraloo every May, a festival that also brings out all the crazies with it. I actually got lost in this zany world, loving the wedding aspect, the kooky details of the festival, the planning, and finding out the great mystery that shrouds both Innis Wilkerson, and her husband. I can’t leave out all the unbelievable traditions! To enter into the Blackwell family you need to read an instruction manual first!
To say I was utterly charmed by this story is an understatement. Loving the uniqueness of the town and its inhabitants gave it a real feel, and yet at the same time it felt like a delusion. I caught myself several times bouncing back and forth with the idea of real or imaginary, with a goofy grin on my face, loving every moment of this fun read!
The Marriage of Innis Wilkinson is so refreshingly different from many of the tropes out there right now, which is why I think I enjoyed this book as much as I did! Well, that and who couldn’t fall in love with such a uniquely special town and all its inhabitants! A amazingly unique read for sure, but one that with absolutely charm the pants off you!
*I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book which I received from the publisher. All views and opinions are completely honest, and my own.
“You have to get rid of the excess – the parts that are no longer needed – to expose the good. Sometimes we have a hard time letting go of the excess…the fear and the uncertainty. But if we allow ourselves to be trimmed – pruned, so to speak – we can grow.”
This is the first book I have read by the author and I was totally captivated by the unique voice and storyline of this book. The author has received multiple accolades for her first book The Death of Mungo Blackwell so this piqued my interest in trying out this new-to-me author. Though the book is technically the second book in the series, it can absolutely be read as a stand-alone. The writing is extremely clever and funny; the premise and plot are quite original and memorable, as are the characters. Reading the book was like slipping into a delightfully unique world where everything is done differently and seen through different sets of eyes.
The author’s third person narrative voice in the past is reminiscent of the grandpa in The Princess Bride movie – lyrical, unhurried, and slowly and deliciously leading up to the climax of the story. Her third person narrative voice in the present (Margarette and Roy) is honest, riddled with doubt, but uplifted by hope and love. The century-old feud between the Tofts (Margarette) and the Blackwells (Roy) is ridiculous but eye-opening, the myriad of Toft superstitions is somewhat crazy, the elaborate Blackwell traditions are often sweet and sentimental but sometimes strange, and the way things are done in the tiny tourist town of Coraloo is mind-boggling but fascinating. I loved Margarette and Roy’s loyalty and love for their respective families and their valiant effort to try to bring forth peace and unity between the feuding members. Getting to know Innis from the past and present was indeed enlightening and how the author weaves Innis into Margarette and Roy’s present is truly ingenious. The wisdom in letting go of our fears and uncertainties and desire for others’ approval whispers loudly in Margarette and Roy’s ears, as it does to us.
This book will delight anyone looking for a unique read. I received a copy of the book from Lion Fiction via JustRead Publicity Tours and was under no obligation to post a positive review. All comments and opinions are solely my own.
I loved this book. The characters were quirky and entertaining. This easy read will leave you delighted.
The Marriage Of Innis Wilkinson by Lauren H Brandenburg is an entertaining contemporary novel. It is the sequel to The Death Of Mungo Blackwell but can be read as a stand-alone. I enjoyed catching up with familiar characters.
The feud between the Blackwells and the Tofts continues with each side trying to do better than the other. Like Romeo and Juliet, there are two families trying to arrange a marriage. The happy couple feel pulled this way and that as they try to please everyone.
It is important to be the person you were created to be. Others may try to mould us but we need to resist. It is exhausting if we are continually trying to be someone we are not, just to please others. We need to be free to be ourselves.
To live in freedom, we need to live in the truth. The truth will always set us free. We must not build our lives on a foundation of lies.
The characters are all delightfully drawn. I have enjoyed watching them grow and progress. I love the continuing thread of the macaroons running through both books – you need to read them to see what I mean.
The Marriage Of Innis Wilkinson is a unique read. The characters will take up residence in your heart and leave you smiling.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.
In The Marriage of Innis Wilkinson Lauren H. Brandenburg builds on the success of her Carol Award-winning The Death of Mungo Blackwell. Readers are welcomed back to Coraloo with its zany residents, long-held traditions, and feuding families.
Brandenburg manages to take something that could be absolutely ridiculous and make it charmingly quirky. Roy Blackwell’s patience and desire to ease his fiancée’s burdens is so sweet. Margarette Toft, with her out-of-control task list is easy to relate to. I love that there’s more to the author’s characters than meets the eye, and the truths revealed as you spend more time with them.
This is a book that is both an escape and a discovery. Whether it’s loving well in the midst of chaos, discovering what is right in front of you, the joys and disappointments of family, or finding the place that is yours, there’s something in this book that will speak to readers in across many areas of life.
Disclosure statement: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.
I requested an ARC of this book, and all opinions are my own.
This book was an absolute treat. Picking up where ‘The Death of Mungo Blackwell’ ended, the story centers around the engagement & wedding of Margarette Toft & Roy Blackwell – basically the town of Coraloo’s version of Romeo & Juliet. But it also ties in with the story of the mysterious cleaning woman, Innis Wilkinson and her omnipresent scissors strung around her neck.
As far back as anyone can remember, the Toft and Blackwell families have been locked in a vicious feud that would do the Hatfield’s and McCoy’s proud. The ancient story is filled with grand adventure, gross hyperbole, and pirates. The townsfolk are ridiculously eccentric – which makes them all the more charming.
It was fun to revisit with the characters from ‘Mungo’, and to learn more about the traditions & superstitions held by each family. The stories – told several decades apart – wove together in a way I was not expecting, complete with a twist that made me smile and shake my head.
Laura Brandenburg has created a world rich with intriguing characters who are – for the most part – more than meets the eye. I highly recommend this book, as well as ‘Mungo’, and hope there will be more of this charming world to come.