This is a book for readers looking for a specific type of romance. I can understand why some people did not enjoy the subject matter. There are questionable interactions between the main characters, but for some readers those the tropes that they enjoy reading. Overall, I don't think this was a bad book, but I think that people need to do their research and make sure they are ok with the tropes in the story before reading.

Alex has always been in love Ellie and chooses a bad time to reveal his feeling, her wedding to someone else, his apparent best friend. Awkward? Totally. The fallout from his actions is really intense, as to be expected. Each family has something to say as well, of course, they come from a small town and all grew up together.

I enjoyed the dual timeline of the book switching back and forth between Alex and Ellie, their characterization was done well, even though Alex is awkward AF. Ellie has always been a strong, decisive female, which I love, though I didn't always understand her actions.

Overall, I thought this was enjoyable, it dragged a little in the middle, and I recommend this to those who enjoy a different kind of a rom-com. I was happy where it ended, and was glad the first section was explained by the end (who did she sleep with, did she know it, was she drunk, etc.).

All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thanks to Netgalley, A.S. Kelly, and Xpresso books for an after published copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I will definitely read more by this author in the future.

This book felt like it started in the middle of a Lifetime drama. The premise was interesting and I enjoy reading about characters who turn from friends to lovers, but from the start of the book, it seemed like a hot mess. I appreciate the dual perspectives in different chapters but this was not a love story for the ages.

What's it called when a man slips into his best friend's bed, where his drunk fiancée is sleeping, and has sex with her while she thinks he's someone else?

Rape. It's called rape.

DNF.

I received an ARC from the publisher, and this is my honest review.

I wanted to like this book more than I did. The start of the story had me cringing...the "interrupting a wedding to object/declare your love" plot rarely works for me, and this was no exception. And drunk hookups where one person doesn't even know who they're with? No thank you. It was hard for me to get past that, and while there were times that I enjoyed the characters, I often found them irritating, and the book sort of dragged for me.

I’m not gonna lie. After the first chapter I knew that it would be an uphill climb for this book and myself. I had a lot of issues with Alex and how he was initially introduced. His actions were beyond problematic and I knew that in order for me to enjoy this story it would have one hell of a comeback.

As much as I wanted to root for Alex and see the good within him, it was really hard to get over the initial incident. No matter how you dress it up or try to normalize it, it wasn’t right, he knew exactly what he was doing while Ellie had no recollection. And the excuse that he is “just a guy, what do you expect” mindset presents a toxic message to both men and women.

Ultimately this was the downfall for me and this book and one I cannot get past. Thank you to NetGalley and Alex Kelly for this ARC and my opinions are all my own.

Overall, I really liked the story, I also liked the romance, sometimes the characters got on my nerves, it was not believable that they would say or do that, but beside that, it was good.

If you need a nice light read then this is the book for you. I enjoyed it as a break from some of the heavier reads I've been reading lately.
Its a tale of love and friendship and family values.
I look forward to reading more books by this author

This book is definitely not a fully cute room it is more complex than that, but the cover is still not and although I felt like it was a lot at times I would read again from this other. The writing style was interesting and so was the storyline.

The beginning of the story was amazing. A guy stopping his best friend’s wedding because he slept with the bride the night before?! Talk about drama! But it fizzled after that and I found it a bit slow. There was a lot of waiting around for feelings to be reciprocated but once it did, the story got pretty steamy.

I'm not going to lie, I hate doing this, but I just couldn't get into this book. I don't know if it was the style of writing or what, but I wasn't really enjoying this book until the last 20%. There were so many "I'm trying to be the wise old man and get you to think, but not actually tell you what I think" moments and too many unnecessary details. I hate leaving bad reviews so Im just going to leave it at that.

Alex has loved Ellie for as long as he can remember, but she is getting married to his best friend, or is she? When Alex breaks up the wedding, Ellie is furious and can't find resolve in her hometown with her family or her ex best friend. Until she finally comes to terms that Alex was the one she wanted all along.

The beginning of this was so uncomfortable to me...
Friends to lovers is a fantastic trope, but there are 1000 better ways to start off a romance than having sex with your friend who is so drunk she thinks she’s having sex with her soon to be husband.
That’s just not okay.
And interrupting a wedding to tell everyone? And even when he’s asking he stopped it he says “I don’t know”. Selfish.
It never got worse than that, but that just left a bad taste in my mouth and I couldn’t get on bored with Alex as a character.
And considering it’s mostly from his perspective, I just wasn’t into it.
And it did get cute, so I don’t know why that beginning was necessary.

This was such a sweet sweet story. These two gives you all the feels. I had no expectations going into this one, and I was so happy I got to read this. It’s super cute. I think people will really enjoy it like I did

After reading this I think the cover is somewhat misleading. I felt the book was a little long but over all I did really enjoy it. I enjoyed the characters and was over all a cute story

The Best Man is the first book in the From Connemara With Love series by Alex Kelly. My name is Alex Brennan, and this is my story: of how I realized I’d lost the most important person in my life, before I even had her. I always turn up at just the wrong moment. I never know how to make the most of a situation; I don’t know the right thing to say, or when I should come or go. Let’s just say I have really shit timing. I’m not a smart guy. I don’t have great ideas. I’m practical, a hard worker; someone who lives for his family, and for the air that she breathes. It’s just a shame that the “she” in question never knew this. It’s a shame that I waited all these years to make my move. It’s useless to tell you, readers, that it was already too late; that I’d screwed everything up, once again. And, this time, my mistakes forced her to come home. Except she didn’t want to stay. And now she hates me – or maybe she doesn’t. I still haven’t worked out what’s going on between us, but like I said, I’m not the sharpest tool in the box. And even though this could be my last chance, I’m not going to be the one to ask her to stay. Not even if she turns out to be the one I’ve always waited for. Because she doesn't belong in this place. And she doesn't belong in my life.

The Best Man is a book that took me by surprise. It started with an interrupted wedding and then explained all the characters, connections, and relationships. I will admit that it took me awhile to get to like Alex, for the same reason I sometimes have trouble with other lead characters. Everyone, including himself, puts his courage and intelligence. Just like when a female character puts herself down because of her choices, her body, her personality- whatever. It drives me crazy, especially when it is the very aspect of the character that makes them so perfect for the relationship the story is about. Alex is not stupid, he cares more about other people's happiness than his own- which gets him into trouble sometimes but is a trait that makes him who he is. Elle is sweet, sassy, and a little lost. I liked that the personalities were the opposite of the expected. Alex is caring and willing to wait while Elle is a little all over the place and taking a little longer to understand the feelings. It was very much an emotional journey, with plenty heat, with a few surprises along the way. I was a little annoyed with the fact that they never talked protection, because I think the safe sex and consent talks are very important. However, I enjoyed the read and loved the secondary characters. I have another book from this author in my reading queue, and I am really looking forward to returning to this small town and seeing where some of the characters go from here.

The Best Man is a sweet friends to lover romance with plenty of feels.

such a cute light read! definitely very low on angst and tension. if you’re looking for something less stressful, this is the one though i would say it wasn’t everything i was hoping it would be. don’t get me wrong, it was cute, but i just wanted something more, to feel some thing more. i just wished it was angsty because i LOVE angst.

So this was not your typical rom-com even though it did involve two long-time childhood friends whose lives veer off in directions as they become adults. Alex has always been in love Ellie and who chooses a bad time to reveal his feeling, her wedding to someone else. Awkward? Totally. The fallout from his actions is really intense which is not always typical in rom-com. Each family has something to say as well; Alex, Ellie's and the PO'd groom, and this was just the first few chapters of the book!

I enjoyed the dual timeline of the book switching back and forth between Alex and Ellie, their characterization was done well, even though Alex is awkward AF as an adult. Ellie has always been the strong, decisive female. They have always been in each other's lives at some point. If you want to know if they end up together or go their separate ways because Alex's actions in the beginning of the book, you will have to read this.

Overall, I thought this was more enjoyable than I thought it was going to be and I recommend this to those who enjoy a different kind of a rom-com. It was a little on the long side for a rom-com but this did not bother me because the story was so good.

All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thanks to Netgalley, AS Kelley, and Xpresso books for an after published copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I will definitely read more by this author in the future if it is as good as this book.

Already available: 5/25/20

This book was to confusing. I wanted to enjoy it and tried a few chapter but it felt to disorganized.


************************************I received an ARC for my honest opinion from NetGalley.****************************

The best man is in some ways a classic friends to lovers romance. However there is one key difference, this book starts at Ellie's wedding to someone else.

Part of the reason I am only giving this book 3 stars is because while there was a lot of exposition describing Alex's feelings for Ellie, I felt that the same care was not really given to Ellie's feelings towards Alex. The book took a while to get the two of them together, which I could appreciate, but it was definitely slow at times.

I loved the side characters in this book though and hope they get their own novels (I'm looking at you Shane and Reid). Plus Alex's relationship with his family, especially Justin, was admirable and joyous. I even liked how close he was to Ellie's family.

I wanted to root for Ellie more than I did because of the way Alex describes his love for her, but to me the character was lacking just a bit and needed to be more fully developed.

Anyways it is an enjoyable book and I would recommend it.

This is a unique love story that involves a childhood love interest that never fully came to fruition until the day of Ellie's wedding. The night before the wedding Ellie and her childhood best friend, who also happens to be the best man spend the night together. Alex, the best man, decided that the best time to divulge this secret is during the objection portion of the wedding. The book evolves around Ellie and Alex picking up the pieces of their lives and eventually forming the romantic relationship that both of them yearned after for years. Portions of the book are slower than others giving much more detail than necessary where others feel too short. It was also different when Alex addressed the readers in a few areas; it felt random and wish that was more refined throughout.

Overall, it's a fun, light read that gives a new insight on friends to lovers romance, but I wish it had more depth on the relationship building aspect.