Freya has planned everything for her wedding. She's been with Matthew for years, and finally, at last, it is happening. But hours before they're meant to hit the altar, Matthew ends the relationship, leaving Freya jilted and unable to stomach the idea of the upcoming wedding season. But stomach it she must, with plenty of invites on her plate.

So Freya's friends resolve to make it easier on her, creating a series of challenges for her to complete at every wedding, turning it into a game. This does make the process of attending weddings easier, to be sure. But can Freya find her own happy ending before the final wedding?

I'll be real here--I requested this because I was in the mood for reading a contemporary romance, and this looked cute. It is indeed categorized as a romance on Netgalley... this is not a romance. It is a cute contemporary with some elements of romance, but it's not a romance. There is nothing wrong with it not being a romance! But publishers, I beg, (assuming that the issue here) do not categorize things that are not romance as romance. I can brush it off, but a lot of romance readers are super touchy about that, and it does set your book up for failure with them.

With that out of the way--yes, this one is very cute, very light, and funny. I don't want to quite call it a beach read, as I can't say it had me quite as... spellbound? As I would typically like a beach read to be? But it's cute. Was there a part of me that was like "listen Freya, beg off of these fucking weddings if it's that bad, you literally got left at the altar, guests have bowed out for less". However, we dismiss reality because fiction.

I hate to be that person, but I think some actual romance would've kicked this up a notch. Lifted the stakes, as it were. And yes, perhaps a romance right after your fiance dumps you would've been what we call a rebound in real life... But this is, again, not real life, and Freya and Matthew didn't seem like a match anyway so let's jump to true love, yes?

Personally, I don't know if I'm the right reader for this one, as it's pretty low stakes, pretty sweet, and light on the sex and romance. But if you're in the mood for something that is heavier on the friendship and self discovery with a fun "girls night" vibe, this is for you.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Love, love, love! The Secret Bridesmaid was such a hit for me last year. I had to get my hands on The Wedding Season, crossing my fingers I would love it. Sometimes sophomore reads can be disappointing but I tried to temper my hopes. There was no need. If anything, I laughed more and thoroughly enjoyed Freya's Wedding Season more than I can say.
On the eve of their wedding, Matthew breaks Freya's heart. Her highly anticipated wedding is cancelled and steady, reliable Freya is left floundering. With no time to recover and under the best kind of duress, Freya's best friends create a survival guide to get her through the seven weddings of friends and family within the next handful of months.
I adored Freya, her character arc, her interactions with the supporting cast (specifically with Ruby, Leo, and Jamie), and the humor that threads through it all. There were several laugh-out-loud moments for me. The romance is subtle, with the focus mostly on Freya. I can't complain at all about Katy's attention to detail concerning Freya's heartbreak and the aftermath.
Thank you to St Martin's Press and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.

Really fun! Not really a romance novel (although it's clear from the tone that it will end happily), it's more about a breakup and Freya's journey of self-discovery and character growth. There were fun moments!

I liked how the ex-fiancé wasn't a complete evil villain. He made many poor decisions but learning more about why he called off the wedding was interesting and realistic.

I was worried about how many characters were in this cast, but they all felt distinct enough to me that I never got confused.

The writing style is really fun; lots of clever observations without bogging down the flow of the story.

It was missing that extra spark I like to see in a romance but it was still a great time and a book I'd recommend to readers who enjoy a closed-door contemporary romance.

When I saw that this book was written by an author I had previously enjoyed last year I figured why not and requested it! The cover was also pretty hard to resist. Although the beginning chapter sets up for a unique plot, I felt that it wasn’t as developed as I would have liked and relied more on the quirky endeavors of the main character.

Freya Scott was dumped the day of her wedding. I feel like that is a story anyone would want to read about. She goes through a lot of emotions and some of the may be borderline crazy. With the help of her two best friends, they set out to give her tasks to complete during the wedding season. I thought this was a nifty idea and gave Freya something to focus her time on.

I will say that I never connected to the characters. Freya was a bit much at times and I understand wanting closure but she kept trying to contact him, even his mother, when he had said he needed time. She also was obsessed with a plant that he took which was just odd to me but I guess that is for those who consider themselves a plant mom, lol.

The characters all felt the same when they spoke and it was hard to actually picture who was talking because of it. Their personalities just blended together.

I was prepared for there not being romance as the author’s other book didn’t really have it either. Freya does find herself talking to another guy but it is a very small subplot. If you are looking for a romance, this book won’t be it.

The book solely focuses on humor as it’s main source of entertainment and although somethings were humorous for me, it also felt like a lot at times. Some bits just felt repetitive as well.

Overall, this one was okay but ultimately didn’t really work for me. I still would try this author again as I liked her other book and can still see this one doing well.

This was so sweet! The Wedding Season had a little bit of everything - heartbreak, romance, friendships, witty banter, and so much more! Freya's wedding is called off the day before by her long time partner. The story then becomes more about her journey through her heartbreak and is less of a romantic comedy but I enjoyed it nonetheless.

Thank you so much to St. Martins for this advanced copy!

3.75. I liked this book! I wasn't sure if I was going to like it because the first 25-35% of the book is quite slow. A lot of wallowing and sadness. The book picks up after there and was really enjoyable. Freya is getting married, then gets broken up with. There are 7 other weddings that are to happen that summer so Freya's friends come up with challenges for each wedding to help Freya not think of her wedding that didn't happen.

I enjoyed The Secret Bridesmaid, so I was really looking forward to this next installment from Katy Birchall. The Wedding Season ended up being an unexpected favorite of the month! I wasn’t expecting how funny this book would be.

I adored Freya’s relationship with her two best friends and with her father and brother. The side characters really made this book for me, even Freya’s other friends.

I will say that it starts off a bit slow, so if you’re about 30% in and wondering when she’s going to stop wallowing, I encourage you to keep going. Once Freya and her friends make the Wedding Season Survival Plan is when it starts to get good. The reader follows Freya to seven weddings in the weeks following her breakup, and her friends have come up with increasingly ridiculous tasks for her to accomplish in order to help her forget about her ex.

My only complaint is that I would have liked more romance. It is important to note that this isn’t really a romance as the cover makes it seem. It’s more character growth, friendship fiction, and women’s fiction. I wouldn’t read this one leading up to your wedding, but if you’re looking for a great story about friendship, certainly pick up The Wedding Season.

Oh goodness I LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH!!! Not so much the heartbreak that Freya goes through, but mainly more because of how she got through it and also her friends through it all. Its wedding season and her wedding was the start of that, until her Fiance Matthew broke up with her the day before the wedding. Her whole world is shattered, but she has the most amazing and funniest friends in the world to help her. I have to say, that what her brother gets her as a wedding gift was what made me love the book from the start, lol.

Anyway her two close friends help her with tasks for the wedding season, she has a few weddings to attend and to help her get her mind off of her situation she has to complete them, and all I'm going to say is that I couldn't help laughing through this whole book. Freya is hella funny and I wish I had friends like hers, they were supportive, and loving and FUNNY.

Aside from the book being funny it is also very heartbreaking to see a woman go through the uncertainty as to why things ended with the love of her life, she never got that closure, so it was hard for her to really move on and that pained me to read. I felt her pain and I was able to understand her, this author did her thing with making me feel Freya's emotions in that way aside from the goofy funny side of her. Even when she overcomes everything within her family life and her personal life, I celebrated with her when she finally received the closure she wanted to move on.

I am telling you guys this book is worth the read for those Rom-Com lovers, heavy on the COMEDY.

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

When Freya’s long-term boyfriend ends their relationship in a broom closet the day before their wedding, she is humiliated and heartbroken. Now instead of celebrating her wedding, along with her other seven friends getting married this season, she wonders how she is going hold it all together during ‘The Wedding Season’. That’s when her best friends devise a plan, create a challenge for each wedding that Freya must complete, help Freya keep her mind off her ex and just maybe find herself again, and realize her love story hasn’t end just yet.
I adored Freya’s story. I loved seeing her find herself again through each challenge and realize that she is a whole person on her own, and her happiness doesn’t have to rely on someone else. There were parts I was laughing out loud at, and others that you could truly feel Freya’s heartbreak of starting over again.
This book also has a cast of great characters that really add to the story. I loved the best friend relationship between Freya, Ruby, and Leo and I would love to see a spin off story of Ruby and Leo. I also felt the storyline between Freya and her mom was developed really well, and I enjoyed seeing them connect through their different experiences with marriage.
I went into this book thinking this was going to more of a Romantic Comedy and while there is a bit of that, I think this leans more towards Women’s Fiction. The romance side is a super slow burn, but I felt it added to the story in a really sweet way.
Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin;s Griffin, and Katy Birchall for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Freya Scott’s world shatters when her fiancé breaks up with her on the day before their wedding. Matthew and she have been together for twelve years and all her grown memories are tied into him. Her best friends Ruby and Leo allow her to wallow but then encourage her to move forward. This summer she has eight weddings she must attend for family and friends. And some Matthew will be attending as well. They make up a challenge list for to accomplish at each wedding. Ranging from dance a dance, get a phone number or give a speech all things challenge her comfort zone. Along the way she manages to grow a little and reconnect with her estranged mom who has let her down. She also opens herself to be ready to move on with someone new.

I thought from the cover this would be lighter. There is humor with funny observations and situations like getting stuck in a church bathroom. But there is a lot of realism as Freya will enjoys herself in the moment only to be overcome by memories and insecurities not understanding why Matthew left. I enjoyed the story, attending the hen parties and weddings of the summer. And her friendships are wonderfully written. I like the awkward banter with Jamie who she keeps running into at weddings. The characters and setting are British but of course everything is understandable. I consider this more woman’s fiction as the focus is on Freya’s growth and development as she deals with a hard change in her life. Even though there is a potential romance, that is the payoff but not the focus of the story. There is some language and no intimacy scenes. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book brought out some complex emotions. While we follow Freya through her deepest downs it was a little hard to read. I was unprepared for the sadness that was the first part of the book. But I highly enjoyed watching Freya discover herself and find happiness in the little things life brings. The journey, the self discovery, the emotions are what makes this a must read!

Freya’s life is turned upside down when Matthew dumps her the day before their wedding, the first of eight she has to attend this year. To help Freya get through wedding season, her friends set up a set of tasks she needs to complete at each one. How will Freya make it through and will she find love again?

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review! This is a really adorable story of self discovery that I think anyone who has been through a break up can relate to. I loved how supported Freya was by her friends and how true to life Freya’s ups and downs in the aftermath of this traumatic event were portrayed.

This book started and ended strong, and really had me hooked the last ten chapters, but it was a little slow in the middle which is why I didn’t give it a higher rating. If you do decide to pick this up (and if you’re looking for some encouragement after a recent breakup, I suggest you do), make sure to stick with it through the end. Without giving any spoilers, there is a scene at the end that could have been lifted right out of ‘My Best Friends Wedding’ that I absolutely loved. This is the first book of Katy Birchall’s that I’ve read but definitely won’t be the last!

Fair warning - this book is less of a romance and more of women's fiction. However that isn't to say that it didn't make me laugh out loud. From the peacocks to the penis hats, Katy Birchall delivers romcom worthy LOL moments. I loved Freya from the get-go, whether it be jilted at the altar or running down a hallway naked because of The Wedding Season Survival Guide. And don't get me started on the charming (and a bit crotchety) Jamie, our bearded brewery bro. I wish we could've seen more of Freya and Jamie together but still enjoyed the HFN direction this book went in.

*Thank you to St Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review*

Oh help, I completely loved this. This was the first book by Katy Birchall that I've read, and BELIEVE ME I shall be back for more!!! The Wedding Season has us meeting Freya Scott, who within the first scene of the book gets jilted by her fiance, Matthew, the day before their wedding. This man was sus from the start, as what man named Matthew goes only by Matthew and never employs a nickname?!?!!?? I digress.

I found this found to be a very real examination of grief, complications that come from family and past hurts, forgiveness and how to truly go searching after that someone we should love fiercely and abundantly - ourselves. I loved the cast of characters, found Leo and Leo to be an absolute scream, and was sufficiently wooed by the scruffy hipster who can't seem to turn up anywhere on time but is the life of the party. I loved that a central theme of this book is friendship, as those relationships can be some of the most life-giving ones we have. Thanks to NetGalley for an e-copy of this book in advance of its publication, in exchange for an honest review. 4 stars for a smart, thoughtful tale of someone who genuinely is a mess, in the best kind of way.

4 ⭐️ // If you’ve ever been heartbroken, this book will remind you of the emotion rollercoaster you took while processing your grief. Thankfully, around 35% into the book, the story isn’t as sad, even though it still has its moments. I mean, what a journey! I can’t imagine dating someone for TWELVE years and having them bolt the day before the wedding…

This book is not for readers looking for a lighthearted story. But while there were plenty of heartbreaking moments, there were lots of laughs and “happy tear” moments as well! I’m glad I went into this book “blind” (besides reading the description), and the author’s writing style was very enjoyable!

Read this book if …
💔You’ve had your heart broken
⌚️You’re always on time
🪴You consider yourself a plant person
🎰 You always pick “dare” when playing “truth or dare”
🇬🇧 You like books set in the U.K.

TW: broken engagement, grief, strained parental relationship

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press, for providing me an ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

A Goodreads review will be posted shortly, and an Instagram post with an inspired music playlist will be posted within a week.

I thought this was a cute book! It wasn’t as romcom-y as I was expecting, but it was a cute story about friendship and finding yourself.

Read/Listen If You Like:
🇬🇧 Books set in the UK
❤️ A Pragmatic MC
💔 A Story Starting with a Break-Up
❤️‍🩹 First Heartbreak Aftermath Story
🥇 Random Challenges

Book Review:
This book is a reason I love going in blind to books. I had no expectations for this, which made me love it even more.

The story starts with Freya’s fiancé calling off their wedding which was to be the first of a series of weddings of different people in their lives, ending with Freya’s best friend’s wedding. When her wedding is called off her and her friends make a plan for her to make it through The Wedding Season on the heals of her wedding being called off. The series of challenges for each wedding did just as they hoped, helped her make it through wedding season and take steps towards healing from the end of her 12 year relationship.

Along the way, Freya begins to learn more about herself, build stronger relationships with her friends, and repair relationships with her mother. This was a journey of coming out stronger more so than a romance book.

I really enjoyed getting to experience the ups and downs after a significant heartbreak along with Freya as she got to experience all the stages of grief and moving on.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for the ARC of this book! I am so thankful to obtain a copy to read in advance of its release!

Freya Scott thinks she's living the dream...that is until her boyfriend of 12 years breaks up with her in a broom closet the day before their wedding. He tells her he needs space and shuts her out without really explaining himself. thoroughly. If that's not bad enough, she has 7 other weddings to attend this year! Her 2 best friends who happen to be engaged to one another and are the final wedding she'll attend this season come up with a "Wedding Season Challenge" where Freya has to complete the task of their choosing - like being the last one standing on the dance floor and running naked down the hotel hallway!

My favorite part of the book was the way all of her friends and family scooped her up and cheered her on through what could have been the worst wedding season of her life. I laughed out loud throughout the book and imagined the likes of every favorite British actor/actress playing the parts of each character in the book. I adored these characters and was sad to see the book end!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review an advanced reader's copy of this book. This in no way affects my review, all opinions are my own.

As someone who just got married (and to a Matthew) and is always considered the "put together" one, I really felt like I related to Freya. Matthew, her long-term boyfriend, and now fiancé, decided the day before their wedding that he did not want to get married anymore...but to make it worse, Freya has 7 other weddings to attend that summer. She is devastated (rightfully so) and her friends come up with this idea for her to complete challenges at these weddings that are designed to distract her. Along the way, she meets new people, does crazy things. and really does distract herself from what should have been.
I loved the writing and will definitely add Katy Birchall to my must read list.

Pros: This British rom com (a PG-rated, enemies to lovers trope) is light and charming, and I think it would make such a fun movie. My favorite part of this book is the role that the friend characters played in the setup of the plot—after a woman is dumped the day before her wedding, her friends create a list of challenges for her to complete as distractions at the seven weddings she attends in the weeks after. Reading this book made me jealous of a British wedding season where it’s easy to pop over to France or Ireland for a wedding weekend and that weddings closer to home are held in castles.

I switched back and forth from the audiobook and kindle versions of this book and thought both formats were great.

Cons: None really. This book was just what I was expecting (in a good way) from the genre.

3.5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to read and listen to this book.

I’ve shared this review on Goodreads and StoryGraph.