The Book:
Bad Luck Bridesmaid by Alison Rose Greenberg
Published January 11th 2022 by St. Martin’s Griffin
Date read: December 2, 2021
The Characters:
Zoey
Rylan
Zoey’s best friend Hannah
Buy it on Bookshop.org | Amazon
The Plot (from Goodreads):
It’s official: Zoey Marks is the cursed bridesmaid that no engagement can survive. Ten years, three empire waist dresses, and ZERO brides have walked down the aisle.
After strike three, Zoey is left wondering if her own ambivalence towards marriage has rubbed off on those she loves. And when her building distrust of matrimony culminates in turning down a proposal from her perfect All-American boyfriend, Rylan Harper III, she and Rylan are both left heartbroken, leaving Zoey to wonder: what is it exactly about tying the knot that makes her want to run in the opposite direction?
Enter Hannah Green: Zoey’s best friend, who announces that she’s marrying a guy she just met (cue eye roll). At a castle. In gorgeous, romantic Ireland, where Rylan will be in attendance, and Zoey will be a bridesmaid. It’ll be fine.
Okay, the woman definition of fine (NOT FINE).
Determined to turn her luck around, Zoey accepts her role and vows to get Hannah down the aisle—all the while praying her best friend’s wedded bliss will allow her to embrace marriage and get Rylan back.
But as the weekend goes on, Zoey is plagued with more questions than answers. Can you be a free spirit, yet still want a certain future? Can you have love and be loved on your terms? And how DO you wrangle a bossy falcon into doing your bidding?
The Review:
I adore books about weddings, so I’m always quick to jump on any rom com with the words “wedding” or “bridesmaid” in the title. My boyfriend thinks I’m trying to drop hints, but honestly I just love the romance of weddings. I think it makes for an amazing story setting, and it’s one of my favorite sub-genres to read about.
To be honest, around 75% I wasn’t sure if I would end up liking this one. The beginning felt like it rushed through Zoey’s background as the Bad Luck Bridesmaid instead of going into depth about funny wedding stories. I felt like I didn’t really know Zoey that well, since we just got the quickest overview of who she was. I also wasn’t feeling the choices Zoey was making in regards to her relationship.
The last few chapters brought it all back for me, though. Zoey exhibited such growth throughout the book and really was able to come into her own and be proud of who she was. She made the choice that was best for her, instead of what was easy in the moment. I was really proud of who she became by the end of the book, and that made the iffy middle portion worth it. I love some good character growth in a novel, and Bad Luck Bridesmaid certainly fits the bill.
Love books about love? Check out my list of wedding-related rom-coms here.
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