For Better, for Worse by Carole Matthews (2002, Paperback)

I was disappointed in For Better, For Worse. I had read Matthews' With or Without You and really enjoyed it; this one, not so much.

Josie's husband left her for Thing, a single mother with big boobs. Alas, he is regretful and wants her back.

Josie leaves England and travels to New York for her cousin Martha's wedding. She is seated next to a recently divorced rock journalist, Matt Jarvis, who has a Beatle-sized chip on his shoulder. There is really nothing likable about him. When the plane lands, they go to the Statue of Liberty. They make a dinner date but he stands her up.

Josie goes about her trip as bridesmaid while her cousin Martha completely flips out and Matt is repentant about standing up Josie.

He manages to look all over the city for her while stringing along a band's publicist who is a pothead but is supposed to be likable? Or not? Not sure on Holly.

Anyway, Josie's husband shows up in New York and has a scuffle with a duck which is really the only interesting part in the book. I did laugh at the duck.

The end is really stupid. I'm sorry, Carole, but it is. Just bad. The writing is good in itself but I really ended up not liking Matt or Martha and perhaps not even Josie.

I'll give it three stars but it's more like 2.5.