This was such a great story and I couldn't put it down. I was a little disappointed that it didn't end like I had hoped.

Zoey Marks is a business woman who has no intention of getting married. She's been a bridesmaid a couple of times and for some reason or another, the bride doesn't make it down the aisle.

Her best friend introduces her to her cousin, Rylan, and all of a sudden Zoey finds herself falling hard and imagining herself married. But she just can't bring herself to do it.

The story was good, engaging, and I was cheering for Zoey even when she wasn't cheering for herself. I wish she'd ended up with Rylan but I still enjoyed the book a lot!

This was such a cute story. I loved the characters and the whole premise of the book. I would recommend this if you are looking for an enjoyable light read.

Bad Luck Bridesmaid was a fun read! I loved this sweet (and not-so-sweet) story about figuring out what you want out of life and love.

Zoey believes she is a Bad Luck Bridesmaid. She has been a bridesmaid 3 times, and none of her brides have made it down the aisle. She herself is more partial to an impersonal affair than a Great Romance. She just can't see herself falling in love and wanting to stay with someone forever.

But then she meets Rylan, the cousin of her best friend Hannah, and falls head over heels in love. For the first time, she can (maybe) see herself staying with someone for a long time. When they break up, Zoey is devastated. Did she make the right decision? Does she has a second chance at Hannah's wedding, held in a romantic castle in the Scottish highlands? What does she really want?

Without revealing too much, I LOVE that Greenberg has written a character who stays true to her beliefs. She is a very believable and relatable character. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it as a perfect escape during the cold winter.

Thanks to Netgalley for this advance copy!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.

This was a wild rollercoaster for me - and as I am sitting at the end of it I am not sure what my final thoughts are quite yet. Was it enjoyable? Sure. Did also make me upset? Yep. Like any good rollercoaster (in my mind) there is a level of hating some aspect of the experience but loving the thrill overall; this is one of those books, where I enjoyed the ride it took me on but man did some of the experience make me uncomfortable. I kept going back in forth with deciding if I loved this book or hated what I was reading, which was a strange experience.

There was a lot I really enjoyed about this book: Jewish identity discussion, relationship between Zoe and her best friend Hannah, unwavering support of being a free spirit and working for the goals that you want, etc. Things that made it a little hard for me to read were things like the societal pressures of marriage playing out in the way Zoe interacted with Rylan (trying to not give spoilers), and just some of the actual personality traits of the main characters. The problem with reading books about humans when it is written realistically, is that humans can be trash people and it is realistic to write them as such. I appreciated a lot of the quips in this book, and up until about 5 pages before the ending I was quite concerned about how the book would end - but I am very happy with how things worked out (they worked out how I hoped they would so I am biased). Maybe people will hate the ending, but I liked it a lot, and there is definitely a lot of big picture conversations in this book that I will need to sit with for a while. 3.5/5

Zoey Marks is convinced that she is cursed. Her three friends where she was a bridesmaid didn’t make it down the aisle. Zoey was always skeptical of marriage despite her parents having a good marriage. All of Zoey’s relationships are superficial and she makes it clear that she is not in it for the long haul, that is until she meets Rylan. Everything is great, that is until he proposes after they dated for a couple years. Zoey knew it was going in this direction, but she says no. Then she is miserable. She and Rylan avoid each other until Zoey’s friend Hannah’s wedding where they are both invited. There is a chance for them to get back together, but again Zoey can’t get over her aversion to marriage. There is now HEA. I wanted to like this book because of the strong female character in Zoey, but eventually she grated on me. She is so self-absorbed that she doesn’t realize how her behavior damages other people. Zoey needs therapy.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this advanced readers ebook in exchange of an honest review.

“There was comfort in knowing that by coloring outside the lines, I was in control of where I wanted my pen, and it was not where someone else told me to put it”

Do all happily ever afters end in marriage? Zoey is smart, sassy, and an extremely successful and independent woman. She does not need a long-term man and God forbid, marriage to be happy… until she meets Rylan.

Will true love be enough?

I truly enjoyed this gem of a debut novel and cannot wait to read more from this author. The story was very original but very relatable at the same time.

The author definitely has a lot of potential but this story didn't hit the mark for me. It is a quick read and there were bits I found entertaining but the main character, I was not a fan.

But don't let that deter you. Just because this story wasn't for me, doesn't mean you won't absolutely love it!

Read this if you:
*march to the best of your own drum
*listen to Taylor Swift on repeat to get you through life
*have a best friend that lives far away from you

This one was cute!!! I immediately clicked with the MC (who is charming, self sufficient & hilarious). This book was so much more than I expected & I adored every minute.

Thank you NetGalley & St Martins Press for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. Pub date: Jan 25

This book was fun, and hella funny, an d inspirational, I didn't think that it would be a full on romance novel, until Zoey found love when she thought she would never find it, NOW THAT WAS STEAMY! and I was so damn happy for her. But then I was so annoyed by her, her way of thinking?? I mean I get it, the three friends of yours who never made it to the alter was a sad thing and the fact that you were there to witness their downfall?? I totally get it, but really Zoey?? I am saying this with all honesty?? her reasons to why she does what she does in this book had me PISSED! Come on girl! you have the man of your dreams the one who accepts you for everything that you are and then some and you going through all of this?? I loved and hated her as the book went on.

But one thing I loved about her is her love for her best friend Hannah, and also the fact that she finally was honest with herself. The book ended in a way I never really expected, but one thing is for sure she is that she is a FORCE!!! She is complicated as hell and she doesn't care, if you are willing to accept her for her? then keep it pushing everyone!!!! She's not backing down, and she's not gonna settle. I adored that about her actually.

Thanks Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

This book was refreshing and didn’t go at all how I thought it would in the beginning. I enjoyed the writing style, story and characters, I loved how strong of a female character Zoey was. She remained true to herself despite pressure from others.

I have read a lot of books about bridesmaids, and for me this one was average. I liked the first 25%, but then it was a bit spotty for me. At some points, I was actually a little bored. I liked the main character's sense of humor, but I did not like the way the book ended. That is why I am right at a three star rating.

Bad Luck Bridesmaid really hooked me from the first chapter and kept me eagerly reading throughout the entire story. Zoey is a cynic regarding marriage because she has served (almost) as a bridesmaid for three unsuccessful weddings in which none of the brides actually ended up married. She focuses on her career and on herself instead of on boys and relationships. She is very up front and honest and lets her friends who are boys (because she doesn't do boyfriends) know that she doesn't want a long commitment. Until she meets Rylan.

Rylan is a successful, confident, attractive, etc. man who happens to be a cousin to Zoey's BFF (so he has already been vetted). Despite her distrust for relationships and love, Zoey can't help herself as she spends more time with Rylan. He is perfect for her and their relationship progresses to a proposal which completely flips Zoey's world upside down. I loved Zoey and Rylan! I loved the way they interacted with each other and I loved Zoey's inner dialogues. The author always made it very clear what Zoey was thinking and feeling and experiencing at all times. I felt like I understood Zoey during most of the book.

Until the ending.

It wasn't what I was expecting and honestly I was disappointed by her decision. It didn't seem to follow her feelings and her heart and it seemed like a decision made only from her head. I could follow her thought process in making her choice because of the excellent way the author described the details, but it felt a little abrupt and out of place to me.

Even though I didn't care for the ending of the book, I would still recommend it. I think some people could relate to Zoey's decisions- they just weren't what I would have preferred. Zoey is a funny, smart and sassy character that is totally relatable and likeable. Her self awareness is amusing and I laughed out loud a few times at her craziness which made it worth the read.

Thanks Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC. I will post this review to my Goodreads and bookstagram (mary.mary_library) now and will post to Amazon and B&N upon publication.

More women's fiction than rom.com. while parts of the story were witty, fun, and engaging- there were other parts that were heavier than your average romantic comedy. The novel begins a bit slow paced and included some far fetched plot points that are unevenly executed.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Somewhat predictable but very funny romcom. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel.

This book confused me. From the cover, I expected a light-hearted rom-com, an easy read. Single girl living in the Big City, career-focused, lots of late nights and parties. It's almost as if I read two books, or that the book was written by two people with very distinctive voices.

I thought the career-climb was improbable for such a young person in NYC. So first you must dispel your disbelief about that. Sure, there are whiz-kid creative geniuses out there, but this character just felt too over-the-top. As well, for me there was something lacking in Zoey. Maybe it was the career drive that made her slightly less warm, or her issue with commitment, but either way, I just didn't get the warm feels for her, and almost stopped reading. Sure, she worked hard but for the first part of her book I didn't really engage with her.

The scenarios and exploits were of course, over the top, as most rom-coms tend to be. The men in the book seem a little too-good-to-be-true; all of them are loving and kind and romantic and of course handsome. Even when you think you find one who is cold-hearted... it turns out he isn't.

As for the ending, I have two comments. I applauded the beginning of the ending, learning that Zoey did not bend to the conventionality of the societal definition of a relationship. I appreciated the fact that she stuck to her convictions to get her own happy ever after, and did not suddenly decide to change her long-standing opinion on marriage. That being said, I did not enjoy the last few pages which take place at the wedding. It did not resonate well with me and confirmed to me that I really wasn't a huge fan of Zoey in the first place.

All that being said, don't shy away just because of my review. Give it a shot and form your own opinions.

This was a fun read! Thank you St. Martin's Press for providing me with an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

I wasn't sure to think of when I first started reading, but as I continued I found to really enjoy the characters and voice. Zoey was no-nonsense and it was nice to see her so confident in her convictions. To that end, though, it was her downfall (in terms of the plot). I appreciated her earnest effort to make sure Hannah, her best friend, had the best wedding.

The draw back for me comes to the ending. I thought tis would err on the side of a second-chance romance, yet it didn't! I felt like the characters in the beginning had great chemistry and that they were really good together. I was disappointed to have it go in a different direction.

Overall, I recommend this one to people looking for a good, fast read.

Parts of this book were emotionally brutal to read. Like, they made me uncomfortable. But I suppose that’s what the author was going for when writing about a woman finding her true self. I’d categorize this book as chick lit or women’s fiction as opposed to romance, even though that was a driving force of the story. The best relationship in the book, however, was Zoey and Hannah. They had some beautiful moments and some hilarious moments. (“IS THIS HOW WE DIE?” “WHY WOULD YOU ASK THAT?”)

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley and, coincidentally, was a Goodreads giveaway winner. All opinions are my own.

This book had me filled with memories of the times I had been a bridesmaid......It is filled with fun ,lots of laughter and times gone by. The thrill of walking down the isle just dreaming of the day I would be a bride was so sentimental . I loved the descriptions and characters, felt their feelings - how emotions could lead to unfulfilled dreams of a perfect wedding and marriage. Will dreams come true? Read this book to find out.

4/5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
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Thank you to the publishers and Net Galley for giving me a copy of this book! This is my honest review, all views are my own.
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Bad Luck Bridesmaid is a laugh-out-loud rom-com that will remind you of all the marriage-themed chick-flicks, complete with miscommunication and romantic misadventures. The book follows Zoey Marks, a woman with “fuck you” honesty and a tendency to flee from any form of commitment. After being a bridesmaid with a 0-for-3 record of getting the bride down the aisle, Zoey thinks she’s cursed. Adding onto that is that pesky aforementioned aversion-to-commitment, which wildly disrupts her plans with the love of her life, Rylan, who wants to get married. Now, three months after the proposal disaster, her best friend is getting married, and Zoey is doing everything in her power to break her bad luck streak. What could possibly go wrong?
I laughed the whole way through this book! I thought that the casual writing style, filled with curses and internal monologues and music references (there was no less than three mentions of Taylor Swift’s Red album specifically, so good timing on that one! Though perhaps the book could be edited to specify (taylor’s version), haha) was super fun, if a bit heavy-handed. The pacing was an interesting choice; there was a ton of exposition that took up a quarter of the book, and I was not expecting it to be so long or detailed, but I enjoyed it for the context it gave the rest of the book. Most of the plot was based on miscommunication, and simply a failure to communicate, which is not a great trope in my opinion, but it was done nicely considering the genre. As for the characters and the main events of the romance plot lines: I liked Hannah and Graham with their whirlwind romance, but I wish there was more substance regarding their love instead of just their constant PDA; I thought Rylan was a very interesting and complex character, but he wouldn’t just *talk* with Zoey and put so many expectations on her/their relationship and it made me mad at him for a lot of the book, especially with the will-they-won’t-they attitude in Ireland; I liked Ezra but I think there should have been more getting to know him (read: flirting with Zoey) because it would add to the confusion and chaos and just be *so fun*; and of course, Zoey herself was a super fun character with a lot of complexities and interesting qualities, and I simply adored her… though don’t worry, I had my frustrations with her as well. She sometimes didn’t know when to put her foot in her mouth, and she bent over backwards to see Rylan as a perfect (or even near-perfect) man when he was definitely not. Generally speaking, this book had a lot of heavy-handed and over-the-top moments, which were at times enjoyable and other times aggravating.
At the end of the day, this is a fun book and I think it’s perfect for the cheesy rom-com lovers out there. 4 stars.

I found this book to be farfetched and a rather silly plot. The protagonist is sure that it is bad luck for anyone to have her as a bridesmaid because she personally doesn't want to get married.
Zoey has apparently never met Hannah's totally gorgeous cousin before, even though Zoey and Hannah have been best friends since childhood, but now she falls madly love with the cousin and he loves her.
The story goes on and on with a destination wedding, misunderstandings abound. I might have enjoyed reading this when I was 16.