Unfortunately this wasn’t my favorite. I loved Birchall’s first work but this new one didn’t get me as excited. I’m extremely sad about that so I hope I’m in the minority!

This book is FUNNY. I mean, laugh out loud funny. I really love books with the main character’s inner monologue because I always find it so relatable. My mind is constantly going a mile a minute, so I could identify with Freya.

I’m a sucker for character growth, and I love seeing Freya work through her heartbreak, though with no shortage of setbacks. I feel like there are people who might not like her thoughts on getting back together with Matthew, BUT anyone who’s been through heartbreak can relate to the thoughts on possibly getting back together. It felt realistic to me to have those thoughts right after a break up.

The friend group here is outstanding - they are so supportive of Freya, rallying around her as she has to attend seven weddings. Even though this book is a rom com, there is more emotion depth that I was expecting. Freya is dealing with the end of her relationship and her fraught relationship with her mother. Freya is just such a great character and it’s so great to see how much better she is at the end of this book.

I really loved this book and I can’t recommend it enough.

The Wedding Season is Exactly What this Girl Needed!

Charming, Fearless, Funny, Romantic, Sad, Serious & Sweet!

The day Matthew calls off the wedding, Freya’s once-perfect life is destroyed. Everything she thought she knew about love and herself, is shattered into pieces. To make matters even worse, hers was the first wedding of the season and she has seven more to go and somehow, she has to get through all of them!

Her best friends, however, come up with a plan. They come up with a series of challenges for Freya to complete at each and every wedding to distract her and against all odds, it works. The only thing left is for Freya to dig down deep and confront her true feelings and work on herself, which as we all know is the hardest part.

I adored all of the characters here and rooted for Freya throughout. I don’t want to spoil anything but I will say that this book has a bit of everything in it. Fabulous witty banter, romance, best friends, and a heart-wrenching storyline. It will make you laugh and smile and yes, may perhaps make you shed a tear or two.

This was another buddy read with my bestie Kaceey which gave us a lot to discuss, especially compared to most contemporary fiction novels that we read - perhaps because this one dug a little deeper.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley for the arc.

Published on our blog: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend.com/ as well as on Goodreads and Twitter.

This was SO much fun! A relatable narrator, putting herself to fun dares, all during a wedding season, is absolutely right up my alley. Highly recommend for a funny, sweet, and quick read!

So cute! This was the perfect book to read while I was on vacay at the beach; I laughed, I cried, I smiled. Love that she had a supportive group of friends, the tasks were so fun, and she learned she was stronger than she thought. I was worried portions of the book would slip into a downward spiral of self doubt or be too maudlin, but it never did.

The Wedding Season by Katy Birchall is a witty RomCom sure to have you squealing with delight! The main character Freya is hilarious yet 100% authentic. As someone who also had a broken engagement, I 100% related to Freya. The author did a fantastic job writing about the grief one feels when a relationship ends. The way grief can suddenly overtake you in random moments is so accurate. She truly conveyed how we flashback to the bad times in a relationship but also to the good times. Just because a relationship ends, doesn't mean that love does. The author does a great job of bringing the reader through the grief process.

However, it's not all grief! This story was full of witty banter, hilarious moments that have you laughing out loud, and a heroine you can't stop rooting for. I loved that the main character grows on her own (with the help of well-written friends) and is her own hero. Then the "happily ever after" comes after. She wasn't saved by a man but we still get that romance we all want. I do feel the relationship developed quickly and wish we could have had more opportunities to see their relationship develop as they got to know each other.

All in all, this was a fantastic book! Give this book a read because you will love every moment!

(As someone who used to work in the wedding industry, I appreciate that it's dedicated to all who work in the industry and were affected by the pandemic.)

ARC kindly provided by St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an honest review.

I was super excited to revive a copy of The Wedding Season by Katy Birchall, because The Secret Bridesmaid was a 6/5 stars for me!

The Wedding Season is a little slower to start, but goodness, the story is amazing. I really enjoyed the little Easter egg character appearances.

Freya’s journey from jilted bride crying in a broom closet to a woman happy with herself is beautiful.

Highly recommend!

I enjoyed this book in the end, but it did start off very slow. It took 12 chapters to meet the romantic interest and spent way too long on background. I almost gave up on this book because of this but the last half really was fantastic. Some of the characters were a bit useless as they didn't really add to the story. Overall I did like this book.

I really wanted to love this one. The Secret Bridemaid was one of my favorite reads of 2021, so when I was approved for The Wedding Season I was truly delighted. Unfortunately, this book did not live up to The Secret Bridemaid.

I'll start with what I liked. The book was very wholesome. It was kind of like reading a hallmark movie. The novel was also pretty funny! I did find myself laughing at a couple different occasions.

As far as what I didn't like, it mainly revolves around the book being far too long. I found myself wishing for it to end. There were many scenes that seemed unnecessary that I believe could have been cut out. The fluff scenes between weddings were too much for me.

I was also not super tied to any of the characters. There were far too many weddings and people to keep track of, I even had a hard time liking Freya.

I was able to finish the novel. However, I was very disappointed with it in comparison to The Secret Bridemaid.

I absolutely loved The Wedding Season! It is such a fun read! To get over being dumped just before her wedding (and get through her friends' Wedding Season), Freya's friends dream up a list of wild activities to complete at each wedding. I loved all of the characters (well, except the groom!) and the story was just plain fun!

I absolutely loved this book! Just like Freya, I have issues going outside of my comfort zone but seeing how she flourished in this book, maybe I will have my friends come up with a list of things for me to do! I really enjoyed her journey of self discovery and how she didn't need a man to make her happy so the romance with Jamie is just an added bonus in my book!

Although it got off to a slow start, I ultimately enjoyed this book! It was my first book from Katy Birchall but I will definitely look forward to more. I found myself growing to like the main character a lot more throughout the book, but found her annoying enough at the beginning to slow down my reading experience. Overall though, an enjoyable and quick read for some growth, good friends, and romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of The Wedding Seasons in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Dumped the day before her wedding, Freya has to muddle through the rest of the wedding season while trying to heal from her heartbreak.

I could say so much about this book, but what I will say is this; I loved every single second of it. It's a fun rom-com read that will leave you emotionally satisfied at the end. Seriously, Freya was an amazing character as were her circle of friends that were there for her the entire way. Her family, yes, even her mother, were delightful reads and I'm glad that we got to see those relationships blossom on the page. And Matthew, the ex, was a great character to hate throughout the book.

I honestly cannot say enough good things about this book, and would recommend it over and over again.

I didn't know what to expect going into this story because Katy Birchall is a new author to me, but The Wedding Season was a delightful and charming read.

Freya is devastated after her fiancé dumps her the day before their wedding; Her wedding which was supposed to mark the beginning of the wedding season - eight summers weddings among her friends that summer. Her world has imploded and she's doing all she can to keep it together.

Thankfully, Freya has wonderful friends who surround her with love and support and when they come up with the Wedding Season Survival Guide - a list of challenges to help Freya get through the wedding season - Freya slowly starts to realize that she can in fact find happiness in life again.

Along the way Freya meets the adorable Jamie, for whom I was rooting the entire story, but The Wedding Season was more about Freya finding herself after the ultimate heartbreak.

I loved everything about The Wedding Season, Freya, Jamie, the amazing friendships, and familial bonds. I cannot wait to read more from Katy Birchall.

I loved this story so much. The Wedding Season was so emotional, warming, refreshing and funny. Freya's character was very relatable and you just can't get enough of her, she's such a lovable character.
Matthew's character was also so well written, you really would not be able to not hate him!!!
This book was a delight, and a nice break from my usual reads. I will definitely buy a print version as soon as it comes out.
Thank you NetGalley for sending this to me!

After being dumped the day before her wedding by her years-long boyfriend, Freya Scott is absolutely crushed and confused. To make matters worse, the wedding season is just kicking off, filling her schedule with months of events dedicated to celebrating love. To help her survive the upcoming weddings, Freya's amazing, supportive, and loyal friends come up with a series of challenges she must perform at each of the upcoming weddings. And to Freya's surprise, she enjoys the celebrations and discovers that a happy life is often filled with unexpected detours.

While The Wedding Season is a low-steam and slow-burn romance, it is equally centered on self-growth and the power of friendships. This book was heartwarming, gush-worthy, and delightfully funny. I loved cheering Freya on from the sidelines, and was overjoyed with the way her encouraging and protective always had her back. The Wedding Season was an absolute hit: 4 stars!

I was given a free e-copy of this novel by NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Freya Scott is getting married. Her wedding to Matthew, her long-term boyfriend, is the first of eight in her calendar this year, and as someone who prides herself on being meticulously organized, Freya is intent on making it the perfect day to remember.

But when Matthew calls things off hours before they walk down the aisle, Freya’s entire life plan goes up in smoke. Humiliated and heartbroken, the last thing she wants is to attend a summer of other peoples’ nuptials on her own.

Fortunately, her friends have an idea: together they devise a series of outrageous challenges for Freya to complete at each event, designed to distract her from Matthew and what might have been. From getting stuck in an old church bathroom and needing to be rescued by the vicar to making out with a barman at a French chateau, Freya realizes that despite herself, she might just be having fun.

By the time the final wedding arrives, she will discover that the road to a happy ending sometimes has unexpected detours, that “I do” is only the beginning––and that perhaps her own love story isn’t over just yet. (Goodreads synopsis)

I have not read anything by Katy Birchall before, but this was absolutely amazing!

No one likes the idea of being jilted at the altar, whether it is the bride or the groom. So, this novel was clearly going to be emotional. However, I found that it was also uplifting. There were moments of crying, but I also laughed at the endless humor, both intentional and embarrassing bits. The reader starts by rooting for Freya to either get over Matthew or take revenge on him. Then slowly it feels like they may get back together. Finally, you begin to feel that you don’t care either way as long as Freya finds some happiness with herself. I admired the way the author layered Freya’s personality. Obviously, she was in pain, but she refused to let it make her bitter to her friends’ happiness, and she continued to be there for them as well.

This novel has a bit of romance (come on, it’s called the Wedding Season, duh!), but that is not the main focus. The whole plot is about Freya and how she begins to heal. Not just heal from the cruelty of Matthew, but also in her own familial relationships as well. The wedding tasks were cute and easy, but they required her to step out of her comfort zone and let her inhibitions fly. It’s a lesson we all need to learn, especially during today’s crises. Her friends make me so jealous, because they don’t ignore the situation, but they also don’t allow her to wallow. They set almost everything at Freya’s pace, and I think that is exactly what a supportive network should be. I also like that the many brides didn’t try to dissuade her from coming to their weddings. There was no pettiness present throughout this novel, which was refreshing.

As a separate note, Freya has a conversation with someone about having a fear of finding a spider in a water glass when you go to take a sip. I have had this happen to me and it was terrifying! Personally, I found that this helped make scenes more relatable to real life, and feel less like a cliche rom-com. I’m sure other readers will find scenes that they also have experienced, and I think that also encourages the readers to find some newer, healthier coping strategies to life’s complications.

Overall, I rate this novel 5 out of 5 stars. There are also some really good musical choices mentioned.

3.75*
Freya’s life took a head-whipping turn, from the happiest moments completing her last-minute preparations for her wedding, to shock and devastation when her fiancé Matthew calls off the wedding the day before the nuptials.

How will Freya recover? Will she recover? Will her heart ever mend enough for her to leave the house without breaking down?

It’s wedding season, and all… and I mean ALL of her friends have weddings planned this year. Freya is obligated to attend each one. But how?

Her besties come up with a creative plan to distract her during each wedding. She must perform an outrageous task during each wedding…each building in complexity. (And embarrassment) All to bring Freya out of her cocoon and find that life can be joyful once more. (Just what good friends are for!)

What I really enjoyed about this read: The heart-warming friendships Freya had, and how everyone rallied around her to help her heal. Her father and brother were amazing as well. And yes, I grew to love her mom too.

What I didn’t enjoy: For the first third of the book it was the overwhelming sadness and heartache Freya endured. Just difficult to read. ( Maybe ‘cause I’m such a softie 💞).

Overall, the spirit of the weddings and the healing of hearts through the strength and love of family and friends won me over.

This was a buddy read with Susanne that gave us lots to talk about. Love, loss, and of course friendship!

Posted to: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend...

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press

Freya is getting married but her husbands breaks it up with her the day before the wedding. Her friends make her a list of tasks to do for each wedding she needs to attend and she finds herself meeting interesting men. By the end of the tasks ,Freya realizes that her love life may have a new chapter.

This book was amazing. I loved the connection between Jamie and Freya and the comedy made me laugh so hard that my jaw ached the next day. However, I gave it three stars only because I felt like some parts weren't clear like in the first few chapters they mentioned that she was part of the wedding season, I didn't really get that so I assumed that she was a wedding planner. Second, the introduction of the love interest felt a bit late and usually when the love interest appears makes the readers become more invested in the story since they are reading it for the romance. Third, Jamie and Freya, I wasn't lying when I said I loved the connection between the both of them but then it felt too fast that they were both getting together after a few times after meeting each other. I wished there were more scenes of both of them together so that we could see how they impact each other.

I loved this heartwarming, realateable and often funny story. Freya is so easy to related too and cringe with. I loved it!