Author: Alison Rose Greenberg
Publication Date: 11 Jan 2022
Publisher: St. Martins Griffin
Page Count: 320
Reading Method: Physical/E-book
Dates Read: Jan 7 – 10
Category: ARC [Thank you to the publisher!]
Review
If you like destination weddings, rogue falcons, grumpy groomsmen, and lots of laughs, make sure to put Bad Luck Bridesmaid on your radar.
Zoey Marks is convinced she is cursed. None of the brides make it down the aisle when she is the bridesmaid. After three unsuccessful weddings, Zoey is apprehensive when her best friend Hannah announces she’s getting married. Determined to break the cycle, Zoey heads to the wedding with the best of intentions – but the universe seems to be working against her. On the heels of a horrible breakup, she realizes her “the one that got away” ex will be at the wedding – yikes!
Bad Luck Bridesmaids is a mix of things I like and things I really didn’t enjoy. I think the main drawback for me is Zoey. Though I admire her strength of character and unwillingness to settle for anything less than what she has always wanted for her future, she also comes across as deeply cynical and judgment of her friends and their life choices. In some instances, she is downright mean in her assessments of people. She’s her own worst enemy and continually creates way more strife for herself than is necessary. Ultimately, I can respect that she stays true to herself and makes some pretty tough choices, but her likeability was a big fat zero for me.
The first half of the book is dedicated to Zoey and Rylan’s relationship, and I enjoyed being along for the ride as their relationship grew. Found myself incredibly frustrated in the middle, and then bounced back for the wedding portion of the story. It’s during the wedding part of the book that we meet Ezra, the grumpy groomsman who is determined to break up the marriage. The interactions between Zoey and Ezra were some of my favorites.
All in all, this was a book that was easy to fall into and made me want to keep reading. The writing was solid and I found myself laughing out loud more than I anticipated. I also enjoyed how the story ended – which I wasn’t sure I would up until the very last moment. I’d be interested to see what comes next from Greenberg. Bad Luck Bridesmaid would have been a hit for me if I hadn’t disliked Zoey so much.
About the Book
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?
About the Author
Alison Rose Greenberg is a screenwriter who lives in Atlanta, but is quick to say she was born in New York City. While attending The University of Southern California, Alison took her first screenwriting class and fell head over heels. A journey from screenwriting led to marketing jobs, before coming full-circle back to her first love. Alison speaks fluent rom-com, lives for 90’s WB dramas, cries to Taylor Swift, and is a proud single mom to her two incredible kids and one poorly-trained dog. Bad Luck Bridesmaid is her first novel.
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