I'm so late to this review but this was a sweet romance that actually gave me a lot to think about! I will definitely recommend to library patrons looking for a gentler read.

4.5 STARS for THE REHEARSALS by Annette Christie

I sometimes have low patience for the typical rom-com as it follows the same outline almost every time. I also usually do not care for the Groundhog day trope. THE REHEARSALS broke those molds and is a refreshing and original delight from start to finish. I loved it for it's relatability and imperfectness. In many rom-coms, everything gets tied up in a pretty little bow by the end. THE REHEARSALS is optimistic without being unrealistic, relatable without trying too hard. This is a novel about love, forgiveness, and personal growth and it had a hook that kept me guessing until the final pages.

I look forward to sharing this title with our blog audience and will keep it as a contender for a future pick for our organization's book club.

Thank you to Little, Brown and Company and NetGalley for a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

I love this one! I love wedding theme novels and this was no exception.
Megan Givens and Tom Prescott are heading into what is supposed to be their magical wedding weekend on beautiful San Juan Island. But with two difficult families, ten years of history, and all too many secrets, things quickly go wrong. After a disastrous rehearsal dinner they vow to call the whole thing off—only to wake up the next morning stuck together in a time loop. Are they really destined to relive the worst day of their lives, over and over? And what happens if their wedding day does arrive?
It was really cool how it interpreted the Groundhog Day twist and I was so curious to see how Maggie and Toms story would end. It reminded me a bit of Love, Wedding, Repeat on Netflix

I was able to read a finished copy of this when it came out, and while the premise sounded interesting and promising, I had a difficult time getting into the characters and their motivations. I found myself questioning some of the decisions they made, and as such, couldn't really empathize. All in all, this novel just wasn't for me, though I'm sure it will appeal to other readers.

I downloaded this one in error when looking at another title. Truly this book is not for me, not one for cheating tropes.

From the first paragraph, I knew this book would be a good one. I immersed myself into the book from the first chapter and I cannot say enough good things about this book! Honestly amazing! The writing is incredible and the plot is just one to die for. I am absolutely obsessed with this book. My favorite part would have to be the character development throughout the book. Character development is something I look forward to and this book did not disappoint.

I'm definitely conflicted about this one.

The premise was certainly intriguing and the writing was great, but I don't know about the story. Perhaps it is just me, but I don't know if I was actually rooting for Megan & Tom....

I'm thrilled at the character growth, but it seemed a bit abrupt to be honest-even with the repetition. They just seemed a bit toxic for one another. There were parts of this where I wasn't certain if I wanted my requisite happy ending or not.

All-in-all there were parts of this that I was enamored with and by the end I was completely invested in the outcome, but it was quite the journey to get there. And I'm just not sure if the journey made as much sense as I would have liked.

Cute take on the Groundhog Day theme, this time with a pending wedding, and our bride living through the day of her rehearsal dinner over and over and… well, you get the picture. I enjoyed the island setting on the beautiful San Juan Island in the Pacific Northwest, as well as the brief trip some of the characters took to British Columbia in Canada.

The story was a bit too much in a Millennial vein for me, with a lot of talk about dreams for the future, work-life balance, and a male coprotagonist who was more than a bit too soft.

All in all, The Rehearsals was a sweet novel that leaves the reader assured that doubts are okay, normal, and human.

Recommended for women’s fiction lovers and those who enjoy time stories.

A big thank you to Annette Christie, Little, Brown and Company, and NetGalley for providing a complimentary Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for this honest review.

To grab a copy of The Rehearsals for yourself, head on over to www.BookShop.org – the online bookstore that gives 75% of each book’s profit margin back to independent bookshops. Find yours at https://bookshop.org/a/13638/9780316592994.

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What a fun and insightful read! The story is told from alternating points of view of Meg and Tom, who are caught in a time loop the day before their wedding. As the day progresses their dysfunctional families and their own secrets and insecurities threaten their happily ever after. The universe conspires to force them to challenge these conflicts and each repeating day is filled with new insights, interesting characters and humor. Watching this couple grow to be better versions of themselves was captivating and satisfying. I was kept guessing how it would all turn out right up to the very end.
Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for the ARC. Thank you to the author, Annette Christie for introducing me to the music group, The Cure. The lyrics of the songs add to the story. I look forward to more from this author!

While this isn't my normal cup of tea, the Groundhog's Day meets romcom feel of this book was sweet and I could recommend it to many readers. I ended up a little bored at times of the repetitive nature of the main couple waking up day after day doomed to repeat their wedding rehearsal day until they got it right, but it does change (obviously) and it was a sweet story. I could see the future movie this could be. Plenty of readers will enjoy the quirkiness and sincerity.

I tried to like this one, I really did. But I could not get into it. The characters were selfish duds, the “repeating each day until we figure out how to fix our lives” storyline wasn’t unique and was very repetitive. So I ended up closing the book and do not plan on finishing this one. The characters were such liars and cheaters, I found them impossible to root for.

Too many books to read the ones I’m not enjoying.

Thanks to #netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this.

The Rehearsals is a cute little romcom of a story a la Groundhog Day where the bride and groom both have secrets from their decade-plus time together – and have to face up to the fact that things aren’t all hunky-dory before they tie the knot. As they’ve grown up, moved in, progressed in their careers, made decisions, and done all the things you do with a partner, somehow Megs and Tom have diverged from their intentions. And The Rehearsals drops a bombshell on them – and exposes the cracks in their foundation.

Then it gives them the chance to fix things. Waking up on the same morning, day after day, as they try to figure out how to get out of the time warp they’re living in – and handle their relationship problems. The best part of The Rehearsals is Megs and Tom’s journeys of self-discovery, of stepping back from the hurt and the resentment to objectively view how their own actions (or inactions) have contributed to their current path.

What I didn’t like as much, is the self-pity. Tom’s, of feeling inadequate. Meg’s mom’s. Her sister’s. His brother’s. It’s like two full families indulging in self-pity – and I ain’t got time for that.

Like a good romcom, there’s drama, snappy one-liners, and a happily-ever-after. The Rehearsals is a fun read to wrap up the summer with.

drey’s rating: Pick it up!

In a wedding rehearsal version of Groundhog Day, Meg and Tom have called off their wedding the night before only to wake up the next day in a time warp…to do it all over again. Stuck in the rehearsal day along with dysfunctional family- these two must find a way to break the cycle and decide if they were meant to be or meant to break up forever.
Thought provoking and funny, but not a whole lot of depth to the characters.

Was the couple toxic? Yes.
Did that stop me from enjoying this book? Nope.

The Rehearsals is full of dysfunctional relationships and I wouldn't necessarily call it a romance. But it was fun and full of emotion which I enjoyed immensely.

I received this book from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was... mostly sweet. There were a few inconsistencies in the characters, which was a little jarring, but overall this Groundhog Day meets rom com book is a fresh, light summer read. The premise is a bit silly, but it doesn't distract much from the story. (It's actually very similar to Palm Spring, the movie.)

I enjoyed the beginning of this story, the setting, the characters, the wedding backdrop. And then as each day passed, every single person in this story got decidedly worse. By the end, I no longer cared what happened the Meagan and Tom because their characters were just so awful. I wanted to like it but I just couldn’t.

I don't usually read contemporary romance, but this was a thought provoking read rich with characterization and complications. Thoroughly enjoyable and still realistic enough to be highly engaging.

I don't know that this book is necessarily appropriate for our library, but I found it to be an enjoyable and light-hearted read. You knew it was going to end well for our main characters, but I honestly didn't know what that happily ever would or should look like up until the end.

Families at their worst. Bride and Groom pushed to the point of no return. No escape from well wishers. Oh if only you could have a second chance to get it right or leave it alone. A premise many wish , comes true here. Each with its own fair conclusion. A fun read.

I really enjoyed this lovely story with a unique premise. What if the day before your wedding repeated itself in a loop? Would you do anything differently? Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.