This was a solid novel! The characters were funny and the romance was cute! I had fun reading this novel! The female friendship was super sweet! I loved the friendships and felt that they were just as important as the relationship! Overall check this series out! I hope to check out the other novels in the future!

Although It Takes Two isn’t strictly speaking a second chance romance, it often feels that way because of the long history between Wendy and Noah. Wendy is best friends with Jane, Noah’s little sister, has been for years. Yet unknown to each other there was attraction, crushes back then that might have lead to a forever together life… but life can be cruel, and teenage boys the most clueless and cruel of all. Mostly by simply being clueless as to how their actions appear, even if it makes perfect sense to the guy. Noah left Wendy humiliated and heartbroken on a very important night in a teenager’s life. At that moment, Wendy made a choice to change herself, to lose the shy wallflower girl and become strong, independent, and basically a total badass in everything she does. She’ll continue to blame Noah for her transformation instead of simply owning that she made those changes all on her own decision. Now, years later and successfully avoiding being around Noah for years Wendy is stuck spending time with her best friend’s brother. A wedding is really no time to recycle the past but the competition to do better than each other for Jane’s wedding is going to get out of control real fast.

While I liked Wendy and Noah individually, at times Wendy’s determination to blame Noah for the woman she’s become got old. I really wanted her to own the strong woman she’s become by her own hard work and determination, not because of a teenage heartache. This couple had a really bad case of misunderstandings and miscommunications throughout their times together in the past, and in the present. Watching them work through to the emotions that were real not miss-remembered was a joy and a frustration. I got the impression of a Happy For Now ending for Noah and Wendy instead of a Happily Ever After. Perhaps the next story will make that clearer in my mind. But, still I enjoyed my time in It Takes Two and would recommend this story to any reader who enjoys Romantic Comedy or Contemporary Romance.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

It Takes Two by Jenny Holiday is the second delightful romance in her Bridesmaids Behaving Badly series. This one is a best friend's sibling trope romance and again revolves around what happens with a group of women friends in the weeks leading up to a wedding.

Wendy Liu is happy for her best friend Jane, she really is – or at least she's trying to be. Jane is marrying Cameron (they met in the first in the series One and Only), someone Wendy isn't sure is suited to Jane. Wendy and Jane have been friends since they were kids, members of the Dead Dads club, and supportive of each other throughout all their troubles. In fact, Jane's older brother Noah had taken on the responsibility of caring for Wendy like another sister, though as Wendy became a teenager her feelings towards Noah had become decidedly not brotherly. When Noah agrees to take her to the prom but then ends up working a double shift, the humiliation is the beginning of a transformation for Wendy. She's never forgiven Noah for the slight, and the approaching wedding means she's going to have to play nice with him until it's over.

Noah is a lawyer, like Wendy, though they are on opposite sides of the bench as Noah is a prosecutor and Wendy is a defense attorney. They've scarcely seen each other for the last several years, though when they are in the same room they spar like worthy adversaries. In fact, it sets off some other sparks as well. A trip to New York where 'what happens in New York stays in New York' results in some sexy times, and the start of a secret affair. As Jane and Cameron's wedding gets closer, will Wendy find a way to let go of the hurts of the past and take a chance on a future with Noah?

The concept of this series is really fun! I loved the first in the series, and this one is equally good. The women friends are all coping with the bride's determination to pull off the perfect wedding. Jane's 'low-key' wedding keeps ramping up a notch, a very amusing turn of events after the more 'bridezilla' type of bride in One and Only. The friendship between the now two unmarried women, Wendy and supermodel Gia is one where they can commiserate over being single and all that entails – including the desire for some uncomplicated sex. For Wendy of course, sleeping with Noah is anything but uncomplicated.

Wendy's painful memories of being stood up for the prom by Noah, things she never shared with him form the basis of her emotional struggles with her feelings about him now. It takes some time before she expresses her real thoughts on what happened to him in some emotionally laden and tear inducing scenes. Noah was in a position as a teenager where he really was focused on one thing, and one thing only – helping his sister and mother to survive financially after the death of their father. He had no idea that his actions had affected Wendy so deeply. That singlemindedness of purpose has translated into a continued workaholic personality, and a need to see Jane looked after, something he is relieved to relinquish to Cameron who will be his new brother-in-law. He views the upcoming marriage quite differently from Wendy, who sees it as the loss of another person in her life with which she is also struggling.

The combination of laughs and emotional moments is what makes me love picking up a book by Jenny Holiday. She plays with the reader's emotions equally as well as the characters themselves, making the resolution of the romance very satisfying. Wendy and Noah have chemistry that results in great banter and hot sex and when they finally admit their true feelings to themselves and each other, it paves the way for a wonderful happy ending. With engaging secondary characters, a fun and timely plot (wedding fever!) and a sexy romance, It Takes Two is a delight. I can't wait to read the next in the series!

Review has been posted at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Kobo. It will be featured at Harlequin Junkie and updated with the link when it goes live, at which time it will also be posted at Goodreads.

The Need to Know: A fun, flirty, and thoughtful foray into the world of weddings and Josh Groban concerts and Vegas bachelorette parties. All the best things, really.

This book takes me back. Back to high school, when I had a sweetly intense crush and dreamed of being asked to shuffle from side to side (I mean, dance) in a crowded, semi-dark gymnasium. I remember that longing—for the person to recognize that you were his person—and how the music and the lights and the awkwardly friendly shoulder bumping (don’t ask) all came together to create a moment that I’ll remember forever.

In Jenny Holiday’s It Takes Two, that moment is even more emotionally charged. When Wendy Liu, now a defense attorney living in Toronto, was in high school, she was in love with her best friend Jane’s brother, Noah, and he was going to take her to the prom. Instead, he took on an extra work shift, leaving her to stand by herself on the fringes of the dance floor, and reinforcing that she was not important to him on her own—outside of any duty he might feel as her best friend’s brother.

On the surface, this moment might seem it was a fairly common moment of benign rejection that a lot of us have experienced. After all, Noah didn’t want to hurt her and didn’t even realize that he was hurting her. But for Wendy, it’s a moment that emphasizes her feelings of isolation and aloneness and leads her to embrace the “don’t buy a cow when you can get the milk for free” philosophy that guides her dating life when we first encounter her.

If she doesn’t let down her walls, no one can hurt her.

But fortunately for Wendy and for us, that philosophy is threatened when she re-encounters Noah at her best friend Jane’s wedding. She can’t avoid him anymore, and she can try to forget how he made her feel at the dance and how he makes her feel now, but, spoiler alert: she is not. going. to. be. successful.

There’s something between them that can’t be ignored, even though she’s his sister’s best friend and he broke her heart and doesn’t know it and they live in different places and they both have walls up. It’s all deliciously complicated and yet still flirty and fun and fresh (that sounds like the perfect slogan for a teen deodorant).

It Takes Two is part of Holiday’s Bridesmaid’s Behaving Badly series, and like the first book in the series, this one features strong, independent heroines and decent, strong beta heroes who try to do the right thing and who would do anything for their women. It’s a world that I don’t inhabit (big cities and world travel and stilettos?) but that also feels familiar to me—of friends who have inside jokes about things likes Josh Groban concerts and of high school rejections and of wedding season insanity. Holiday writes skillfully and thoughtfully, and she makes you care about these characters and invested in their happiness if they would only grab onto it (and please grab onto it because I want you to be happy).

Heartfelt and sexy, It Takes Two is further proof of Holiday’s remarkable talent.

Perfect If You’re in the Mood For: a book that’s kind of like the tv show Friends, only more willing to engage with deeper feelings and motivations and hurts.

Pssst! If you like this read, check out: Lauren Layne, and Mira Lyn Kelly’s May the Best Man Win.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley but all opinions included are my own.

I received this title on net galley in exchange for my honest opinion. This is the perfect beach read - a fun, light page-turner that will have you laughing out loud! I didn't read the first book in the series but I didn't feel lost.

This book flowed smoothly and I devoured it in a day or two. It was nothing deep or dark, but a very enjoyable contemporary romance, full of heart, friendship and humor. It was refreshingly well written. The story line was good, the characters behavior was honest. Wendy and Noah have known each other for quite some time. They grew up together and Noah was infatuated with Wendy, his younger sister’s best friend. One missed opportunity ended in Noah and Wendy going their separate ways. They never expected to be close enough again to experience the undeniable attraction between them, but they are reunited for Noah’s sister wedding.

They must overcome a few hurdles amid stressful wedding planning, as trust seems to be the biggest factor hindering their relationship. I enjoyed how the story unfolded from the perspective of both Noah and Wendy, as they navigate their feelings for one another. And while I was appreciative of the direction the story took, there were times that I wasn't as appreciative of the characters reactions to what happened in their past. It seemed to have caused some drama and misunderstandings that could have been avoided.

Noah and Wendy’s road to happily ever after was entertaining and enjoyable and I’m looking forward to reading more of this author’s work.

http://dearauthor.com/book-reviews/overall-b-reviews/b-plus-reviews/review-it-takes-two-by-jenny-holiday/

Wendy Liu had her heart broken at a young age by her best friend's brother. She had to build up a wall to protect herself and hasn't been the same since that day. When Noah Denning enters her life again for his sisters wedding, she remembers why she's always conveniently been gone every time he's come home to visit.
I absolutely loved this book and ordered both of them in paperback when I was only 60% of the way through reading. They can be read as a stand alone book, but it's more enjoyable if you read in series order. A wonderfully written and heart-warming story, that I'll be reading again soon!

This was my first book by this author and I really liked it. This was a sweet easy to read Rom-Com that is perfect for summer with it being Wedding Season. I loved that the author kind of mixed a few of my favorite tropes together best friend's brother/enemies-to-lovers/second chance. Wendy and Noah's bantering was icing on the cake for me. I will defiantly be going back to read One and Only!

Best friend's brother is my catnip! Loved this one! Such a fun beach read!!

Wendy has been crazy about her best friend's brother, Noah, for years. Wendy and Noah are just adorable together, with lots of longing and angst.

I really enjoyed the supporting cast here too. Can't wait to read the other Bridesmaids Behaving Badly.

If you love rom-coms and wedding romances, this is the book for you!!

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Wendy's heart was pretty much broken when she was ditched at prom by Noah her best friend's brother. Now her best friend is getting married and she is one of the bridesmaid. Honestly Wendy is not thrilled about the fact that she'll eventually see Noah but she will be there for her friend. Imagine her surprise when she finds out he's decided to show up way early and now shes got to deal with his presence. Only thing is that they seem to still have feeling for one another but shes still holding onto that deep resentment over him standing he up. Things get complicated when they hook up and they just can't seem to stay away.

When going into this book I assumed this one was one of the bridezillas bridesmaids along with Jane from the previous book but turns out its not. This book in case you are wondering is book two in a series but it's a standalone. I actually like it better this way that it started with Jane's love story as a bridesmaid and now Jane's getting her wedding and you get to see her bridesmaids story.

This book was such a fun read. I loved getting to know Wendy and Noah's characters, their shared history, their backgrounds into seeing into depth what kinda lead them to act the way they did. I loved that shared history and seeing that connection between the two and for you readers who like steamy reads this book got plenty of moments. I loved that Jane made her appearance in this book as the bride and getting to read about Wendy's point of view on helping out her friend where she could. This was such a fun and enjoyable read and I honestly had a hard time putting it down.

Now I can't wait to see more about Wendy's wedding and getting to know her bridesmaids story.

OMG! I couldn't stop reading this book and I ended up staying up late just because I couldn't stop reading and I didn't want to stop until it was over.

I do highly recommend this book.

3.5 stars

Wendy has a LOT of feelings to process: feelings for Noah, feelings about Jane's wedding, feelings about her teenaged self. As someone who keeps my baggage pretty close to the vest, I understood exactly where Wendy was coming from. She doesn't want to rock the boat, she doesn't want anyone else to get hurt.

Noah is a Wendy's missing puzzle piece.

Whereas Wendy keeps things to herself, Noah worries about those around him: his mother, his sister, Wendy (to an extent). He and Wendy haven't seen each other in a while, but once they are back in close proximity, those feelings jump back to the surface.

I thought Noah and Wendy had great chemistry here, perhaps even better than Jane and Cameron in One and Only. Then again, I love "best friend's brother/sister" romance trope, and Wendy and Noah were ridiculously easy to root for.

The second in Holiday’s Bridesmaids Behaving Badly series is a great multicultural romance and the element of weddings that enhances the storyline.

This is my first Holiday book experience, and I went into it pleasantly surprised. Nothing about this story really wowed me out of my socks, but it did have a wide cast of characters, some fantastic jet-setting, and a best friend’s older brother trope that I’m sucker for.

Let’s start off with what I liked. The heroine, Wendy. She’s career focused, constantly looking out for herself and big on staying off the matrimonial radar. I love her backstory and the rich details that shape who she is. From her loyalty to her friends, to the deep-seated crush she’s always had on her BFF Jane’s older brother. The motivations and her actions are super relatable and it was easy to like Wendy, to root for her.

The hero, Noah, is a hot mess in his own right. With the super protective instincts warring with an attraction he’s always tried to fight towards Wendy, his little sister’s upcoming nuptials are going to turn into a hot mess. He was easy to love though too. I wanted him to get the girl, if he could wake up and smell the attraction being mutual.

The race to the wedding, co-hosted bachelor and bachelorette parties, bridal dress shopping, and all the other things force some much-needed proximity between these two and provide plenty of fodder for sexual tension as well as comedic moments. For a series book, this story worked perfect as a standalone I didn’t feel lost or confused by what was happening.

My biggest turn off was the time jumps from past to present. I felt they existed because the characters didn’t have enough conflict to carry them through the story. Though, some readers may enjoy the snippets to Noah and Wendy’s teenage years and what brought them to the people they are presently in the story. Both hero and heroine made a lot of decisions in those earlier years that affected who they ended up being.

Overall, this book is a nice urban city contemporary with plenty of laughs, chapter hooks to keep the pages turning, and I’m interested to see how the series turns out. For readers who enjoy Jessica Lemmon, Tracy Anne Warren’s Grayson Series, or Lauren Layne.

~ Landra

I liked this, but struggled with the flashback POVs. I had a hard time connecting with both main characters that I didn't have with the first book. For the most part, it was an enjoyable read. Am looking forward to Gia's story next.

This series is addictive,I loved the first book and I simply adored the second book!It was fun and sweet. I really enjoyed how the romance developed , it was slow and steady.

It took them months and I appreciate it because it was more realistic!I loved Noah. he is charming, and sweet.Wendy is independent and strong heroine and while I liked the romance between these two I had a problem with Wendy and her behavior.She is a little bit frustrated.

I can't wait to read the next book in the series!If you are looking for a refreshing and light series and you love weddings you should definitely check this series!

Absolutely loved this book! In true Jenny fashion, this book was packed with humor, lust and heartfelt love! I love seeing the emotions surface and seeing the evolution of the Noah’s and Wendy’s love for one another. Another stellar read!!

3.5

So far Wendy Liu is not looking forward to her best friend's wedding. For one, she's sad about the inevitable change in their relationship as her friend becomes a wife and Wendy remains single. For another, she's going to be forced to interact with the bride's brother, Noah, who is someone Wendy has gone to painstaking lengths to avoid for the past seventeen years, after he broke her heart. Instead of lashing out at Noah at every turn, since they'll be dealing with each other a lot in the coming weeks, Wendy turns up their already competitive nature with each other to a thousand.

Noah has no idea why everything about the wedding has turned into a competition, but if it keeps his feelings in check regarding Wendy, he's all for it. But after a trip to Vegas for the bachelor / bachelorette parties well you know the saying "what happens in Vegas"... except Wendy and Noah are having a problem keeping it in Vegas.

But will the past between then ruin any chance they may have for a future?

This is the first book that I've read by Jenny Holiday which means, yes, I did not read the first book in the series. While it didn't keep me from understanding this book, I wonder if I missed out on some nuances of the characters as the were portrayed in the first book.

The romance just felt a bit odd for me. While I understand and appreciate the idea that certain events can have an altering effect on someone's life, I felt like where Wendy is coming from when she says Noah broke her heart and then how that moment basically makes her into the person she is in the present day felt strange. Probably because no one else registered knew that anything was wrong. Even her best friend, the heart-breakers sister(!), seemingly has no idea that her brother caused her friend such a tremendous amount of heartbreak. Especially since Wendy has been holding on to this for seventeen years - which seemed a little excessive to me personally.

But then, towards the end, the author posits another possible reason for Wendy changing into the adult she has become. I felt like there was no real commitment one way or another to either event being actually the thing that makes Wendy into a person who doesn't do relationships and is unable to stand still for long periods of time (meaning she likes / needs to travel a lot).

Noah's side, on the other hand, felt more plausible. He's always been used to being the one taking care of everything / everyone around him from a young age. Now that his sister is getting married he's having problems letting go of the "fatherly" aspect of their relationship. I felt like Noah coming to terms with the fact that his sister is grown and finally learning to take time for himself and do things that he wants to do instead of what he thinks needs to be done, was more clearly stated than Wendy's story.

While this one was a bit iffy for me at times, I really do want to go back and check out the first book. It may be that understanding these characters better will change my perspective a bit. Just because this was a middle of the road read for me, I would still pick up the next book.

IT TAKES TWO

I read this book before reading the first book in the series but I don’t feel like it changed my experience of reading this book, although it does really make we want to go back and read Cameron and Jane’s story, so that’s a bonus.

I’m sort of torn about the banter between Wendy and Noah. I enjoyed their competitive nature and thought their lawyer-speak being used as a sort of foreplay was great, but at a certain point their need to outdo each other just got sort of annoying.

I did, however, really enjoy Noah’s jealous side and his need to stop Wendy from making, what he perceived, was a horrible mistake at Jane’s bachelorette party. From their things just kept getting hotter and hotter.

I love the whole friendship dynamic being built in this series and can’t wait for more in Gia’s book!!

It Takes Two is a witty, sexy and wonderfully entertaining romantic comedy, and it’s a delightful second installment to Jenny Holiday’s phenomenal Bridesmaids Behaving Badly series.

Noah wasn’t just Wendy’s best friend’s big brother – he was also her friend and her family as well. When she developed a crush on him in her teens and he unknowingly broke her heart, their relationship was forever altered. Their friendly, competitive dynamic took on a sharper tone, and Wendy avoided him whenever possible. Years later, they are together again for Noah’s sister’s wedding activities, and Noah realizes that he sees Wendy as much more than a friend or someone he needs to take care of. For different reasons, they are both scared to consider the romantic possibilities, and they verbally spar over almost everything in an attempt to dance around their attraction. But forced proximity pushes them to the breaking point in which they can no longer deny what is happening between them.

Wendy is smart, sassy and fiercely independent, and Noah’s demonstrative, easygoing nature brings out her more vulnerable and sensitive side. They are complex, likeable characters, who are captivating to watch as they bicker their way to understanding the truth of their feelings and achieving a meeting of the minds and of the hearts. Don’t miss this stellar romantic comedy!

Appeared on USA TODAY HEA on June 28.