The Forever Wedding Date by Tif Marcelo
Summer wedding season is in full swing, which means it’s the perfect time to add Tif Marcelo’s delightful new offering to your TBR! The Forever Wedding Date is the third book in the Spirit of the Shenandoah series and it drops July 29, 2025.
In this Harlequin Special Edition romance, wedding planner Gabby Espiritu is experiencing a rough patch of late. After months of study, she fails the CPA exam, then gets ghosted by her long-distance internet boyfriend right before her brother’s wedding. What the heck? Now Gabby’s stuck without a plus one for her brother’s big day…or is she? She could ask her best friend, Chip Lowry, to be her date. After all, she’s had feelings for him for a hot minute. But would that complicate their perfect friendship, given the fact that Chip and Gabby’s ex-boyfriend, Nathan, are best buds? Maybe.
Chip Lowry is a go-getter. When he’s not working as a bartender or volunteering as a trail guide, he’s managing a renovation project at the senior center–a project he’s funding out of his own pocket. All this while caring for his father and trying desperately to deny his true feelings for Gabby. He’s been crushing on her forever, but relegated himself to the friend zone. Asking Gabby out as something more than friends would betray his “bro code” with Nathan. Is playing matchmaker to reunite Gabby and his best friend the answer? Well, that’s where things get tricky.
I gobbled up this gem in two poolside sittings and you will, too! Tif Marcelo is an auto-read author for me. Her writing style never disappoints. Her prose is warm and relatable. And I love the “fly-on-the-wall” aspect of her books, as she brings readers right to the page to observe her fleshed-out characters. As a Filipino-American, Marcelo weaves bits of her culture into her stories, giving added authenticity to her characters while honoring her own heritage. She’s also a master of pacing. Readers who love the slow-burn tension of best friends-to-lovers will be giddy with the build-up, flipping pages for the promised HEA pay-off. Every time I close a Tif Marcelo novel, I do so with a huge smile on my face.
The Forever Wedding Date can be read as a stand-alone … but why would you want to deprive yourself? Pick up all three books in the series, especially if you’re a fan of character-driven novels filled with light humor, friendship, romantic angst and cultural representation. There’s also a hint of Cyrano vibes, which adds an extra layer of heart.
This novel delivers big on two things I feel must be paramount in a romance: emotion and charm (plus one super sweet bonus — puppies!). I highly recommend this cozy, feel-good book to all romance lovers.
About Tif Marcelo:
Tif Marcelo is a veteran US Army nurse and holds a BS in Nursing and a Master’s in public administration. She believes and writes about the strength of families, the endurance of friendship, heartfelt romances, and is inspired daily by her own military hero husband and four children. She hosts The Stories to Love Podcast, and is the USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance, contemporary fiction, and young adult books. She and her books have been featured in The Today Show, Shondaland, Real Simple Magazine, The Asian Journal and more!
