The Wedding Planner's Daughter: A Genre-Bending Rom-Com

The Wedding Planner's Daughter is a novel by Coleen Murtagh Paratore, aimed at middle-grade readers (ages 8-12). It falls into the general fiction genre, with elements of young adult romance. The story follows 12-year-old Willa Havisham, who longs for a father but has a single, unromantic mother, Stella, who is a wedding planner. When Stella and Willa move to Cape Cod and Stella starts falling for Willa's English teacher, Willa believes her luck might be changing. However, things start to go wrong, and Willa must try to fix the situation before her mother misses her chance at love.

Willa's life and her desire for a father figure

Willa Havisham is a 12-year-old girl who longs for a father figure in her life. Her mother, Stella, is a glamorous wedding planner who is still nursing a broken heart after losing her husband. Willa and Stella move around frequently, until they eventually settle in Bramble, Cape Cod, where Stella was raised.

Willa is a classics reader and a self-proclaimed "world's worst wisher". However, things begin to change for the better when she and her mother move to Bramble. She makes her first-ever best friend, Tina, and bonds with her hip, candy-making Nana. Most importantly, she thinks she has found the perfect father figure in her English teacher, Sam. He seems to be just what steely Stella needs, and Willa is determined to marry her mother off to him. However, before she can make her mother's wedding dreams come true, a pit gets stuck in the wishing well. Will Willa be able to undo the damage before it's too late?

Willa's life is filled with adventure and romance as she navigates the challenges of being a tween/teen. She has a crush on a boy named Joseph Francis Kennelly, but her main focus is on finding a father figure and creating a stable home for herself and her mother. She is described as a relatable character who is smart, funny, and determined. Despite her young age, she has a clear idea of what she wants and the path she wants to take in life.

As the series progresses, Willa continues to grow and mature. She faces challenges and makes mistakes, but she also has new experiences and learns important lessons about love, life, and family. In the final book of the series, "From Willa, With Love", Willa has a lot to look forward to. Her crush, JFK, is returning home from baseball camp, and she has a new exciting project in mind. However, as life often does, it throws some unexpected twists and turns her way. Through it all, Willa remains a strong and resilient character who captures the hearts of readers.

Willa's mother, Stella, and her work as a wedding planner

Willa's mother, Stella, is a wedding planner. She is described as glamorous, steely, and single. Stella is the daughter of a hip, candy-making Nana and the mother of twelve-year-old Willa Havisham. Stella and Willa move around a lot, but eventually, they move back to Stella's childhood hometown of Bramble, Cape Cod. Here, Stella's business is booming.

Stella is a perfectionist when it comes to planning the perfect day for her clients. She is ambitious, hard-working, and extremely organised. She knows all the tricks and rules of wedding planning, but her personal life is more complicated. Stella lost her first husband, Billy, in an accident the day after their wedding. Billy had planned an incredibly romantic stunt to surprise Stella, but it went wrong. Stella was pregnant with Willa at the time, and she has sworn off love ever since.

Willa, however, is determined to find a father figure and tries to set her mother up with her English teacher, Sam, who she thinks is perfect dad material. Stella and Sam do start dating, but when Stella finds out he is going to propose, she and Willa move away. Eventually, they move back to Bramble, and Stella and Sam get engaged.

Willa's romantic crush, Joseph

Willa has a crush on a boy named Joseph, who is also referred to as JFK. Willa is twelve years old and has never had a friend before, but when she and her mother, Stella, move to Bramble, Cape Cod, she makes her first-ever best friend, Tina. Willa also bonds with her grandmother, who is described as "hip" and makes candy. Willa is a self-proclaimed bookworm, and she loves reading classic literature. She also has a crush on Joseph, who is described as "adorable". Willa dreams of dancing with him, but before she can, she has to undo the damage she caused by getting a pit stuck in a wishing well. It is not clear what exactly she wishes for, but it may have something to do with her mother, Stella, who is a wedding planner. Willa wants her mother to settle down and find a partner, and she thinks that her English teacher, Sam, would be the perfect match. Willa is determined to make her wishes come true, but it is unclear if she will be able to undo the damage caused by the wishing well incident.

The town of Bramble, Cape Cod

Bramble is known for its stunning natural scenery, boasting ample beaches and a vibrant maritime culture. The town is located on Cape Cod, a peninsula that extends into the Atlantic Ocean, offering breathtaking views of the sea. The name "Cape Cod" was coined in 1602 by Bartholomew Gosnold and is one of the oldest English place names in the United States.

In "The Wedding Planner's Daughter," Bramble is portrayed as the childhood hometown of the protagonist's mother, Stella. Stella, a glamorous and unromantic wedding planner, returns to Bramble with her twelve-year-old daughter, Willa Havisham. Willa, a lover of the sea, books, and chocolate-coated cherries, yearns for a father figure in her life.

As they settle into their new home, Willa begins to make wishes that seemingly come true. She makes her first-ever best friend, Tina, and bonds with her eccentric candy-making Nana. Most importantly, she notices her mother, Stella, developing feelings for Willa's English teacher, Sam, who seems like the perfect father material.

However, before Willa can see her wishes fully realized, a pit gets stuck in the wishing well, threatening to derail her plans for her mother's happiness. The story follows Willa's attempts to undo the damage and help Stella find love and contentment in Bramble.

Bramble, Cape Cod, serves as the perfect backdrop for this heartwarming tale, with its quaint charm, beautiful beaches, and rich history. The town's unique character and allure make it a place of wonder and possibility, where wishes seem destined to come true.

Willa's English teacher, Sam

Sam is Willa's English teacher and the love interest of her mother, Stella. He is described as "perfect dad material" by Willa, who is keen to see her mother find a partner. Sam is a poet and lives next door to the pair in the charming town of Bramble, Cape Cod. He and Stella begin dating after a Memorial Day picnic, and he is set to propose to her. However, a series of mishaps threaten to derail their relationship.

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