With a title like Bad Luck Bridesmaid, I thought I knew what I signed up for. I expected some kind of Hallmark story full of curses and hijinks that ended with your standard happily-ever-after.Shortly after I started reading, I realized that Bad Luck Bridesmaid, much like its protagonist Zoey Marks, defies expectations.

In my opinion, it has a bit of a slow start, with much of the first quarter of the book coming as a summary of the past, our protagonist catching us up to speed before we get to embark in present day. While this context is helpful, it did make it hard to feel invested in the story from the start. In fact, I debated putting it down when it felt like a sense of urgency would never come into the mix.

Once we caught up to real time, however, things improved massively. Zoey is a delightfully refreshing character who isn’t afraid to stand out. Though heartbroken from not being able to say yes to the man she loves when he proposes, Zoey agrees to be a bridesmaid yet again because she can’t not help her best friend down the aisle.

And, okay, she also decides that if she can just get one bride married, maybe she will suddenly feel capable of her own “I do.”

At this point I had resigned myself to a second-chance-romance arc, which is not even remotely my favorite type. Plus, maybe it’s just me, but I find it hard to root for a hero named Rylan who is described as wearing boat shoes.

Thankfully once we arrive in Ireland for the wedding there’s a little wrench in the trope I expected — one best man by the name of Ezra. A love triangle, I am all here for.

I won’t give away what happens from here, but suffice it say it wasn’t what I expected, nor was it predictable. I truly didn’t know where we were headed or what happily ever after would look like. In fact, I began to suspect we wouldn’t get the neat happily ever after that the genre categorization suggests.

To be honest, I think this book is a bit mislabeled with Romance as its primary genre. While the book certainly grapples with questions of romantic love and marriage, this is, first and foremost, a story about a woman learning to embrace what she’s always known — that she loves herself as she is, and she won’t change for anyone, even if a part of her kind of wants to.

Are there steamy scenes in an actual castle? Yes. Are there some love interests littering the protagonist’s way to realizing her happily ever after lies in being the person she is? Also yes.
What I ended up getting from this book isn’t what I expected, and I think that’s part of why I struggled with it in the early pages. Once I realized I should stop expecting a straightforward rom com, I liked the book — and Zoey — much more.

Though I didn’t know I was signing up for it, this is the kind of story I love to step into every once and a while, where a woman gets to be unapologetically herself and see that it leaves a hundred doors wide open, rather than slamming them shut.

I won’t say I recommend this to readers looking for a straightforward and predictable romance novel or romantic comedy. But I will recommend it to those who love a complicated heroine, a story that keeps you guessing, and books that center women and their friendships, with or without wedding bells ringing in the background.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced digital review copy in exchange for my honest review! Bad Luck Bridesmaid is set to release on January 11th, 2022 and is available for preorder now.

This story is so unique and I love that. What a fun concept for a book that was well executed. I can definitely see this one becoming popular soon!

This was so fun! The main character was relatable and the plot was compelling. Bad Luck Bridesmaid would be perfect for a book club pick!
Thank you to Netgalley for this arc ebook, all opinions are my own.

Sometimes you need a nudge and sometimes you need someone who understands you and doesn’t try to coax you into changing your mind.

Sometimes seeing multiple relationships go up in flames at the alter might just skew your perspective on love.

This story was sweet and frustrating. You can’t help but want the best for for our “bad luck bridesmaid.” How can she be the bad luck charm? Is anyone going to walk down the aisle?

Definitely recommend for some light reading.

First, thank you NetGalley and St. Martin Press for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Second, go ahead and preorder this for its January release because you’ll *LOVE* it.

Okaaay here we go -

Bad Luck Bridesmaid follows Zoey as she leaves behind a string of Unwed Brides as she has yet to fulfill her duty as a Bridesmaid. She’s dubbed herself bad luck and has consequently written off marriage and the idea of “forever” for herself.

Enter Rylan - the first man she’s genuinely loved -could he flip the script?

Could her BFF Hannah’s wedding be her key to losing the title of “bad luck bridesmaid?”

Or will she turn the tables and become her own shero?!

Read to find out how Zoey learns and grows over the span of a decade.

“The Bad Luck Bridesmaid” was a nice change from the historical novels I’d been reading. Zoey has a successful advertising business and believes she can live happily ever after without a prince charming. The fact that she has been a bridesmaid for friends who did not make it to the altar supports her believe that love is not everlasting. She even tells the men she dates that she is not looking for a long term relationship. Yet, then she meets Rylan and discovers falling in love is all that it’s hyped up to be. But when Rylan proposes, she runs the other way. On top of that, her dear friend, Hannah, wants Zoey to be a bridesmaid in her wedding. Will Zoey bring further bad luck to Hannah’s wedding? Can she figure out why she’d rather been life alone then with someone who truly loves her?

This was a cute novel with an intriguing premise. When so many women focus on finding the right one, it’s interesting to read about a woman who puts herself first. Zoey is certainly likable—even when she clearly breaks Rylan’s heart. It is less clear why she wants to remain single—the narrative circles back to it several times, but while we’re told Zoey’s reasons, it’s difficult for the reader to see. But despite that, I found this novel quite entertaining and would read more by this author.

Three and a half stars.

Thank you the Alison Rose Greenberg, NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of this novel.

Zoey Marks is an incredibly likable character; even when she’s making hurtful decisions she has the reader’s sympathy. You’re rooting for her, and you’re hoping she’ll be able to get over her fear of lifelong commitment, but you keep reading and you remember that that’s not how life works, and sometimes it’s pretty awesome to read a book that reflects that.

I adored this book, laugh out loud funny with some really nice enemies-to-lover slow burn, the love for a forever friend, and enough drama and truth to make my heart beat a little faster in acknowledgement of my own issues..

It’s a fun read, but the story is deeper than that. We get to see Zoey come to understand herself better and claim that knowledge. We get to see her in a situation with her best friend. We see her feelings. This one stuck with me and I strongly recommend it.


Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an eARC of this title. Opinions shared are influenced by nothing other than my reading experience.

The beginning of this book was so promising. It was fun, light easygoing, but then it got bogged down in Zoey’s relationship with a man who clearly swept her off her feet and whom she seemed meant to be with. Zoey’s view of marriage has been marred by the fact that she has seen three of her friends almost make it down the aisle. It is difficult to understand the selfish Zoey character and it was even more difficult to finish this book. But, finish it I did and despite fairly good writing and some crazy situations, I did not enjoy it.

Great story about finding love . She happens to be a bad luck bridesmaid . None of the brides walk down the aisle at all. She finds love with Rylan Harper and isn't ready to get married. She is messy and complicated woman who isn't ready for marriage. She goes to Ireland and is a bridesmaid for Hannah. Her ex boyfriend Rylan comes to the wedding with a guest. I was hoping for a rom com. This was realistic with relationship. I wasn't a fan of who she might be seeing now. But he could see her too. Great story. .

I'm devastated to say Bad Luck Bridesmaid was not what I was expecting.

I liked that this book shows how one can accumulate friendships as you grow older. It was realistic and wholesome, but that's where good things end.

Besides Zoey's reluctance to longtime commitment and hardworking etiquette, she doesn't have a personality. It's sad to say our heroine was the most disappointing factor part of the novel.

I never understood why Zoey and Rylan like each other. Most of their meaningful connection was told instead of shown. When we were shown deep insight of their relationship, it was always about sex - an aspect that works as long as the reader understands why they like one another beyond physical attraction.

Zoey believes she is unlucky when it comes to love. As a bridesmaid, three of the brides never made it down the alter. She is now in Ireland, a bridesmaid to her best friend Heather. Zoey believes marriage is not for her. She turned down a proposal from her perfect boyfriend Rylan who happens to be Heather’s cousin. Their splitting up broke both Zoey and Rylan’s hearts and yet he shows up to the wedding with a plus one who seems very chummy with Rylan. Zoey turns her focus on Heather and is determined to be the best bridesmaid ever. This book was lots of fun as Zoey struggles with her feelings for Rylan, endures teases from the groom’s brother who hopes to derail the wedding, and is privy to Heather’s concerns about the marriage. It is a great romance with wonderful characters, great dialogue, and mixed feelings to ponder.

Bad Luck Bridesmaid is my first book by author Alison Rose Greenberg and I was really looking forward to reading it from the blurb and even the cover.

However, the story just didn't work for me. I didn't mind the cheating aspect, which I know some readers do have issue with. I guess my issue was more with Zoey. She just seemed all over the place and got on my nerves.

I will still try other books from this author, but unfortunately this one wasn't for me.

Confident and independent, Zoey eschews long term romantic entanglements... until Rylan. Now she is navigating a new emotional minefield, love. And her role as bridesmaid for various friends for have not made it down the aisle does not inspire her confidence in "forever".
Fun and slightly unexpected. I really enjoyed Bad Luck Bridesmaid.

I loved this book so much, I was expecting fluffy easy-to-read "chic-lit" and I was handed so much more. This book was loaded with smart, and whit, and self-actualization. I loved Zoey, and the writing made me lover her, and feel not just her feels, but every character's feels. I'll be looking for more Alison Rose Greenberg.

An unusual almost rom-com about Zoey, a thirty-something whose career is stellar... and whose track record of getting her brides down the aisle is less so. Fearing marriage, Zoey rejects her beloved boyfriend's proposal. A few months after their breakup, she's about to be bridesmaid for the fourth time, determined to get it right for once—and then her ex shows up, along with cracks in her best friend's whirlwind romance.

No one can make a bridge decide to get married after she makes up her mind not to. Three time unsuccessful bridesmaid Zoey Marks take the desertions to heart and keeps her distance from love. That is until she meets Rylan Harper III, her best friend Hannah Green's cousin. Drop dead gorgeous and considerate to boot, Zoey fears her detached days may be over. When Rylan proposes, Zoey freaks. The ins and outs of this relationship are fascinating, but the conclusion to the book was unsatisfactory.

While this book wasn't exactly what I expected I still enjoyed it. I felt like the the main character was a little to indecisive for my taste but the story as a whole was well rounded and entertaining. This is probably going to be a re-read for me so I can really feel it out and decide whether or not I loved it. I'm swaying more towards the "love" but want another go at it!

Thank you to the publisher for my review copy. All opinions are my own.

I have a lot of thoughts on this one. Buckle up.

Overall. I finished this book....so when I don't put a book down and DNF you automatically get three stars. However, this title frustrated me to the very last page.

I felt like the author had a hidden checklist and while writing checked off all the "things" that should be a part of the story.

Steamy sex scene....check
Will they or won't they....check
Major drama...check
Beautiful setting...check
Flawed, but loveable characters...check

Some of the checks worked for me. I felt very disconnected though. I wanted to love it. I really did.

However, for me. It was a no go. I will probably forget this book by the end of the day. Is that harsh? No, I read a lot of books. For me to truly love them. They have to stand out. This one did not.

This was a sweet and entertaining book! Zoey was a fun, adorable character who was quirky at times, But everyone loves quirks! Having been a bridesmaid too many times to count myself, I was able to sympathize with her in certain situations. The dialogue was smart and witty.

I loved this book. I was expecting a different ending but was still happy with the outcome of Zoey.

Zoey cruises through life quite successfully on her own terms, but when it comes to love, she's not sure if she believes in happily ever afters when every wedding she's been in has ended before it started. When her best friend's destination wedding brings Zoey face-to-face with the one that got away, will her faith in happy endings be restored so she can trust love again, or will her bad wedding luck bring down another happy couple?

Bad Luck Bridesmaid is a pacy, punchy rom-com with a few fun twists thrown in. I appreciated the hat tip to The Proposal. :)

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press / St. Martin’s Griffin for sharing a copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.