Bridesmaids was a fun, quick read that I really enjoyed. I’m going to go the list route on this one.

-Based on the synopsis I thought this was going to be more of an ensemble story with multiple POVs. However, it’s told from the first person POV of Jane, the bride-to-be’s best friend. I had to adjust my expectations a bit, but it worked for me. Jane was a little hard to like at first. She came across pretty self-absorbed and kind of snotty, but as the story went on I liked her a lot more.

-Rachel, the bride, is always described as being so nice and caring and selfless, but I didn’t always get that. I mean, she was nice, but she did lots of selfish things. Jane had recently gone through a pretty terrible break-up right before she was supposed to be married and did not handle it well and is pretty skittish about the whole wedding idea. But, Rachel 100% expects her to be there as a bridesmaid and to even plan her hen party (or bachelorette party to us, Americans), which is where she was dumped by her fiance. Rachel also asks two other women to be bridesmaids even though one of them is now married to the other one’s ex-boyfriend, who is definitely not over the break-up. It was kind of a train wreck sometimes, but I couldn’t look away.

-I think my favorite thing about the book was Freddie, Rachel’s flatmate. He was so funny and sweet and wonderful. I loved every scene he was in. I loved his friendship with Rachel and I loved how their relationship turned to more than friends. I shipped them so hard.

-There are are several secrets and scandals between the wedding party. I’ll admit one of my pet peeves in books is when one honest conversation could solve all the problems. But, it didn’t really bother me here. As I said earlier, sometimes when they all got together it was kind of like a train wreck, but it was an entertaining one I had to keep reading. I thought the identity of Beth’s baby’s father was kind of obvious, but it added to the soap-opera like drama and I was here for it.

Overall, I really enjoyed Bridesmaids. While I did have some issues with some of the characters’ behavior, the story was full of Lifetime level drama and was exactly the type of read I was in the mood for. I also absolutely loved Freddie and his relationship with Jane. This was my first book by Stoneley, but I plan on checking out more of her books when I’m in the mood for some good Chick Lit.

Overall Rating (out of 5): 4 Stars

This was the first book of Zara Stoneley’s that I have read and it certainly won’t be the last. I loved this story from the first chapter.
Friendship can be hard enough and becomes even more difficult for lead character Jane as she finds herself keeping secrets from those she loves. I would definitely recommend reading this it’s such a heartfelt book which will have you laughing out loud. Perfect for a summer read.

Fun to read story. I enjoyed the premise and the bridesmaids secrets. The only problem I really had was the main character Jane seems a bit overly dramatic and emotional about her wedding and being dumped. Then she gets a little dramatic about the guy she’s living with and their whole relationship. Otherwise an enjoyable story to read.

This book was a lot of fun to read, I laughed out loud more than once.
It's entertaining, enjoyable and well written.
Even if it's a light and fast read it manages to handle complex theme in a very good way.
I liked the well written and likable characters, quite realistic and relatable.
I look forward to reading other books by this author.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to HarperImpulse and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

UK setting of 30 something friends who reconnect when one gets engaged. The usual set up - past relationships, career mishaps/under performing, friend/lover. It was okay - the usual story line - I read about half.

Bridesmaids - just the title lets you know that you're in for some interesting times in the lead up to a wedding. No wedding has no drama and this book definitely brings the drama when 5 friends reunite to help their friend walk down the aisle to Mr. Right... or is he?

Jane, who was recently dumped by her fiance during her hen party, is trying to rally and stand behind Rachel who asks her to be a bridesmaid in her upcoming wedding. She knows that not all weddings are bad luck and hopes that Michael really is ready to settle down. Meanwhile her career is at a standstill and she may be falling for her flatmate and everywhere Jane turns, secrets seem to find her.

This was such a fun read! There was enough drama to keep the pages turning but nothing too deep that you felt super depressed after reading it. Light enough to be fun, deep enough to not feel sugary. It was a perfect balance! I buzzed through this book really quickly and think others will be delighted with it as well.

Recommended to those that are looking for a good book to get into on the beach, at the pool or just on the couch!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Impulse for an eARC copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

An enjoyable Chick Lit with some humour. There was a tad too much going on and it did seem like a long book, could have done with some condensing.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing a copy.

This is a new author to me, the cover and description sounded fun. I feel like the first half is pretty boring, I pushed myself to finish it to do my netgalley review. But once I got to the middle and as the reader, you know some of the secrets and how tangled this group of friends are, you have to finish to see how it all plays out. And wow, does it go out with a bang. The author is British and its written for a UK audience, some references I didn't get but it was fun. I wasn't sure about the timeline of events, was this whole thing within a few weeks? It was predictable, a few small typos (and that's after accounting for British spelling).

I loved Jane, she's pretty annoying at the beginning, but as you follow the wedding planning, you see her grow. And I loved Freddie, the book needed more of him but he kept running off, which was getting weird. Some of Jane's issues at the beginning don't seem very important that she holds onto, like Coral. I loved Rachel's character from the start and how the wedding played out. Read it, push through and the ending is highly satisfying. I'll need to check out other books from this author. I received this book in exchange for an honest review via Netgalley.

I started to write this review yesterday when I hadn't finished Bridesmaids. At that time I was only half way through this book and was really enjoying it. After finishing to book I revised my review as the book was pretty slow except for a few chapters in the middle. The one potential life saver? Super relatable characters. We all have a friend like each of the bridesmaids: the stuck up girl, the super sweet girl, the one with an "oops" baby, the one with a tragic breakup story, and the one that has been cheated on many times, but declares he's changed. But as I kept reading, despite it having characters that reminded me of people I knew, this book was not a hit for me. It was slow and you knew what was going to happen, but it took a while to get there. I high hopes for this book being the next recommendable beach read, but it fell flat.

Jane is devastated when she is dumped at her hen party. With the help of best friend Rachel and flatmate Freddie, she picks herself up and carries on. When Rachel announces she is getting married Jane is not sure how she feels about it. It’s not marriage she’s against; rather, she knows something about the groom and is unsure how to tell Rachel.

As Rachel begins to plan her big day, Jane and her fellow bridesmaids, Sally, Maddie and Beth are caught in a maelstrom of secrets and lies. As the wedding draws near, will everything go according to plan or will obstacles get in the way?

A lighthearted fun story with a great cast of characters. A tale of love and friendship which was enjoyable and entertaining to read.

I haven't read too many novels by Zara Stoneley, but I have to admit the blurb of this one caught my eye. It sounded full of drama, funny and I just love reading about weddings anyway so thought I would give it a go. The cover isn't the sort of book I would usually pick to read (I know - you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover!), but I was pleasantly surprised.

Straight from the off, there was humour, drama and I couldn't put it down! I loved the characters, they all had something about them that was likeable and funny. It's funny throughout, a perfect summery read. It's lighthearted and enjoyable and easy to read.

Would recommend you give this a read.

Oh, I am just a big old sucker for these kinds of books!!

Jane has recently been dumped on her hen night no less, as if your fiancé binning you isn’t bad enough, and now her very best friend is getting married and she has to relive the whole experience!

Jane’s life isn’t a bad one. But her job is, and so is her ex. Then suddenly she’s thrown back into high school drama when she’s reunited with her fellow bridesmaids from way back when. Each of them have their own story to tell, and I appreciate that Zara Stoneley allowed is as readers to explore each of them thoroughly enough to avoid dissatisfaction.

You’ve got Rachel, the best friend who’s marrying the cheating prick (not that she knows, yet). Maddie, the too nice and polite girl who is pining after her ex after she mistakenly pushed him away. Sally the bitch, there’s always one, who is now married to Maddie’s ex. And Beth, who has a baby and a secret baby daddy. The drama is intense and it all unravels before your eyes.

While the book is notably lighthearted and a nice easy read, it doesn’t shy away from the messiness that is sex, love and marriage. Especially when they’re all keeping it in the friendship group! However, the lack of swearing grated on me after a while. I mean, what self-respecting adults use the words ‘crumbs!’ and ‘sugar!’ without the presence of a small child? Also, referring to ‘frig’ as the F-word... I digress.

Jane’s personal journey through her own struggles to break out on her own as a photographer and get over being jilted by the man you thought you loved, is truly heartwarming. Watching her relationships with others and herself, I felt proud of her. I just love when the author gives me characters I can know and invest in, I have so many book friends!

So yeah, I enjoyed it. Definitely my type. Enough to give it a generous 4 stars.

This is a great funny story of a group of friends who have known each other from schooldays and have kept in touch to varying degrees within the group; some are still close, others have drifted a little. The story is told from jilted bride Jane's point of view after fiancée Andy ditches her by text in the middle of her hen night. It has taken a while, but the emotional scars are beginning to heal and she is tentatively getting her confidence back, flat-sharing with another lad, Freddie from her school days - it's all totally platonic, purely for financial reasons as they are able to tolerate each other sufficiently to share a living space.
Best friend Rach has helped nurse Jane back to normality alongside Freddie, but suddenly drops the bombshell that she is getting married! It's the first dalliance with weddings since Jane and Andy's non-event and Rach is cautiously excited in making her announcement. Of course, the girls have many friends in common who will be invited to the ceremony including the infamous Andy so Jane has to get herself sorted emotionally quick-smart in order to be Rach's chief bridesmaid.
This is where Zara Stoneley's ability to write fabulous humour really starts to kick in. By the time I had reached halfway through the book I had wiped tears of both amusement and upset from my eyes. There seem to be a multitude of secrets hidden between the various members of the group, and with the addition of cocktails and other alcoholic beverages the truth seems to get tangled in a mass of misunderstanding.
By the time the wedding day rolls around Jane's head is in a complete spin regarding who knows what about whom and whether the beans should be spilt before or after the ceremony - if indeed at all.
I really enjoyed this book which throws up some interesting moral dilemmas and demonstrates just how difficult it is - or not - to find Your One.
If you like a good rom com which will have you spilling tears one minute and your drink the next (from a fit of the giggles) this is definitely one for you. Because at the end of the day, girl friends are always there for one another aren't they?
This review will be posted at www.sandiesbookshelves.blogspot.co.uk as part of the blog tour 2nd May.

I'm a fan of Zara Stoneley, so if you've read other of her works, you'll enjoy this. I thought this book was very funny and the perfect light read to enjoy on holiday. I'll be recommending it to the 'chicklit' bookclubs in my library, as I think they will love it.

Unfortunately, I was quite disappointed by this read.
It starts off good and I was intrigued by all of the bridesmaids‘ secrets. However, it was really predictable and it was obvious that the main character Jane jumped to conclusions again and again. The romance was cute but overly dramatic and predictable as well. In the end I skipped most of the descriptions because I really wasn’t enjoying it anymore. It also really doesn’t stand out: after putting it down for two days it took me quite a lot of pages to even remember half of what had happened.

I thought this was going to be a totally different read, but joke is on me.

What an absolutley hysterical book. It was a fun and light read which is full of vibrant colorful characters who jump off the pages to you! The main character is entertaining and relatable and the rest of the characters stand out and each have some wonderful characteristics! This was a laugh out loud book and I am so thankful I was able to read it.

Loved it

Thank you so much NetGalley for the ARC

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I picked this book based on the description and it sounding like a funny chick lit book. The main character seemed whiny and jealous throughout the book. I didn’t connect with any of the characters and felt the story dragged.

I will do my best to stop laughing and sputtering at you as I write this review. That’s how funny and adorable is this book is. Applause and lots of love to author Zara Stoneley for creating a warm and witty story.

How many romantic comedies have been written about weddings and bridesmaids? How many have you read? Lots, I’d bet. But you haven’t experienced the true joy of a funny and loveable rom com until you’ve read THIS book. Get ready to turn the pages- you won’t want to stop reading this book, as something hilarious is always happening.

Jane is our first-person narrator and a reluctant bridesmaid. You’ll find out why as you get to know her and her friends, all buddies from school. Each of them has a precarious hold on romance and each one is alternately trying to sort out their own lives, while helping the others fix their messes.

The author has done a wonderful job of creating vibrant characters- Jane and her flat mate Freddie are two of the best rom com stars created. All the “supporting cast” is excellent, too- each character is memorable and really stands out. Even the mothers in the book are delightful to read about, especially at the end!

What happens when two friends, Maddie and Sally, love the same man, and one of them married him? Does Jane really know who the father of Beth’s baby is? And what should Jane do when she discovers a secret that involves her best friend Rachel? It’s amazing that people manage to get married!

This book is much more than just an adorable cover. Highly recommend.

Thank you to Harper Impulse, Netgalley and Rachel’s Random Reviews for this review copy. This is my honest review.

This book was witty, charming and just plain fun! It has the feel of Bridget Jones Diary to me. There were times I literally giggled while reading it. The main character was great, as were many of the friends. They were people I would love to hang out with!

Completely hilarious and if you love characters that put 2 and 2 together and come up with fifty, then you will love Jane.

The whole book is told from Jane's point of view, and after being dumped on her hen night, isn't that keen on weddings any more, so its rather tricky when best friend Rachel announces she is getting married. Even more awkward when Jane knows a secret about groom Michael and has no idea what to do with it.

Then there are the other bridesmaids / close friends who Jane hasn't seen in years but Rachel keeps up with. There is Sally who married Maddie's ex-boyfriend Jack, and well Maddie isn't as ok with it as everyone seems to think.

Finally there is Beth, who is single mum to baby Joe, responsible for an amusingly disgusting instance in the dress shop, and Beth is definitely hiding things too, like just who the father is.

Set in three parts, where we meed the bridesmaids, the hen party and then the wedding, this is one of the most amusing books I've read this year. If there are cross purposes to be had, then Jane is your woman.

And in amongst Jane trying to make sure the wedding goes without a hitch, despite her misgivings and tension in the bridesmaids ranks - she is just coming to the realisation of what she feels for a couple of key men from her life.

Bridesmaids has a wonderful feel to it, and I could easily see it as a film (although in some respects it feels a bit like elements from the film of the same name, but completely and utterly different too). Or maybe it should be a sitcom, there is definitely enough humour, romance and conflict in this for a TV series!

Another incredibly enjoyable and entertaining book from one of my favourite authors, Bridesmaids is triumph!

Thank you to Harper Impulse and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.