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A review by mspilesofpaper
D'Vaughn and Kris Plan a Wedding by Chencia C. Higgins
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
D'Vaughn and Kris Plan a Wedding was another read for Sapphic September and oh dear, did I struggle with it.
While it is relatively light-hearted, the reality TV aspect doesn't really work in a book setting. Or maybe just not in this book setting. All the reader gets is one welcome party, the constant "we have to film two hours content per week" message, a few chapters as 'jitter cam' where D'Vaughn or Kris just ramble, one cameraman who shoots several scenes (and then just vanishes lol) and the feeling that the production company messes a bit with the couple. There's no true sense of elimination or anything because they just find out by a postcard that they advance into the next week. There wasn't enough of the messiness and drama that are typical for reality TV shows, which makes it, with the overall feeling of low stakes, a rather cosy romance read. Even the reveal doesn't result in drama, instead their families and friends are on board and happy for them. The only bits of tension happen with a potential love interest for D'Vaughn and with an ex-girlfriend of Kris but their scenes get pushed away rather quickly. In addition to it, I did struggle with the language. It is due to the Spanish phrases (and I had French at school) and the American English slang that might be typical for Southern states. I learned Oxford English, so I had to re-read phrases to get them.
If you want to read a cosy, fun sapphic romance with two black women (African-American and African-Latinx) and the fake dating trope: go for it. D'Vaughn is also a plus-size woman and loves her body, so there's an additional sprinkle of body positivity in it.
While it is relatively light-hearted, the reality TV aspect doesn't really work in a book setting. Or maybe just not in this book setting. All the reader gets is one welcome party, the constant "we have to film two hours content per week" message, a few chapters as 'jitter cam' where D'Vaughn or Kris just ramble, one cameraman who shoots several scenes (and then just vanishes lol) and the feeling that the production company messes a bit with the couple. There's no true sense of elimination or anything because they just find out by a postcard that they advance into the next week. There wasn't enough of the messiness and drama that are typical for reality TV shows, which makes it, with the overall feeling of low stakes, a rather cosy romance read. Even the reveal doesn't result in drama, instead their families and friends are on board and happy for them. The only bits of tension happen with a potential love interest for D'Vaughn and with an ex-girlfriend of Kris but their scenes get pushed away rather quickly. In addition to it, I did struggle with the language. It is due to the Spanish phrases (and I had French at school) and the American English slang that might be typical for Southern states. I learned Oxford English, so I had to re-read phrases to get them.
If you want to read a cosy, fun sapphic romance with two black women (African-American and African-Latinx) and the fake dating trope: go for it. D'Vaughn is also a plus-size woman and loves her body, so there's an additional sprinkle of body positivity in it.