My heart broke for Freya the way she was broken up with. I couldn't even imagine how heartbreaking that would be. Reading her journey from heartbreak to coming to terms with it all and finding who she is alone, is a beautiful and funny one. The tasks her best friends gave her were great and some hilarious and exactly what she needed to survive the summer.

This book reads like a movie, not necessarily a bad thing but an adjustment when reading. It was a fun read and lighter than I anticipated!

Freya is planning the last minute details of her wedding to her fiancé Matthew only to have him call it off the day before. All of her friends have upcoming weddings as well and in order to help her heal, her friends come up with a task she has to complete during each one. I loved how her friends did their best to help her get through her breakup and her family did their best too. It was a great read and I would definitely recommend it.

***ARC provided by the publisher on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***

Though the description of The Wedding Season by Katy Birchall, Four Weddings and Funeral, it also feels like Bridget Jones’s Diary thrown in as well, if the protagonist’s narrations throughout the novel were any indication.

The point is? This was probably better as a movie than a book.

After being jilted the day before her wedding, Freya has to find a way to make it through a host of weddings she’s been invited to while getting over a twelve-year relationship. When her friends come up with a series of challenges to get her through each one, she finds herself learning something new about herself from each one. Mix in Jamie, a chronically late, amiable wedding guest she keeps bumping into throughout the season, and will she be finding herself open to the possibility of romance once again?

The plot moved breezily enough, and it didn’t feel like a slog. But our protagonist, Freya, was a bit of a sticking point for most of the story.

I know we’re supposed to be rooting for her, but at almost every turn for nearly two-thirds of the book, she went about droning on about Matthew and lamenting the end of the relationship when the dude up and left her the day before their wedding!

12 years is understandably a looooong time to be in a relationship, and Freya is well within her right to wallow and miss what she had before with Matthew. However, it feels that for too much of the book, she is still stuck in this phase where she’s leaving the door slightly open for Matthew, even when she and Jamie get closer leading up to that moment in Dublin.

It became grating and, honestly, at moments, tested my patience. You know, like that one friend who won’t get over their ex despite being treated poorly by said ex. So, in that respect, it feels like a highly grounded portrayal.

The moments where I’m kind of okay with her moping and sulking over Matthew are too few and far between, and by the time the final chapters roll around, I come to a realization that I like her better when she’s with friends like Ruby and Leo or when she’s with Jamie. They are getting to know each other or standing in her righteous anger after a restaurant confrontation.

Ruby, Leo, and Niamh were a blast, and I honestly got more than a few giggles from their interactions with Freya. They also provided some hard truths and essentially said what I thought for large portions of it.

I loved her moments with her family. Her father and her brother, Aidan, were fun additions and added something to her story.

But I think Freya’s relationship with her mother was fantastically done. I think that’s one of the relationships I was invested in seeing grow, leading to that beautiful moonlight walk by the water for mother and daughter in a way that allowed them to see each other for the first time in their lives.

Jamie was fun to have included in some of the Wedding Season tasks. He felt a lot like Alex from People We Meet on Vacation in that he feels like a wholly adult, witty, funny, self-assured, comfortable-in-his-own-skin kind of character. At this moment, as I’m typing, I realize that these are becoming a favorite archetype of mine.

This is another romance that would probably have benefited from correctly categorizing it as an Adult Fiction/Women’s Fiction novel. Unlike my last read, this bait and switch did not work to this book’s benefit. Overall, it was a light, breezy read with pockets of slightly heavy introspection and family dysfunction that offered some character growth.

I will read anything Katy Birchall publishes, including her grocery list. The Wedding Season is Birchalll’s sophomore novel and does not disappoint.

Freya is getting married to her forever lover, Matthew, in just a short twenty-four hours… That is, until he pulls her into a broom closet and informs he that he is no longer in love and will not meet her at the chapel. With devastation and embarrassment, Freya returns home with multiple weddings to attend and no wedding date. Sounds like it’ll be the perfect wedding season for her!

Thankfully, her friends come up with a unique list of tasks that allow Freya to step outside of her comfort zone per wedding. From being the last on the dance floor to taking someone’s cuff links, Freya is about to realize that maybe not having a wedding date is just what she needs.

The Wedding Season is a novel about discovering your own happily every after despite the world’s expectations to always have a lover by your side. Birchall crafts Freya so that you will root for her as she completes each task and laugh at all of her mishaps. The side characters that you meet along the way are just the icing on top of the cake. Any lover of romantic comedy and wedding tales will enjoy Birchall’s latest.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press Romance and netgalley for my arc in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Wow! This is amazing. I learn a lot from this story and I love how the female character were able to survived the wedding season.

A bride scorned hours before the wedding has her whole life upheaved! Her group of friends devise a set of really fun challenges for her to complete at each event of the summer - aka their weddings - to distract her from thinking of the ex-groom-to-be and Freya ends up realizing that she can have fun without another person! She is just great alone but then again, love might not be too far away for her after all.

Having not read a book by this author before, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I ended up really enjoying this book. It was fun and sweet with a side of seriousness. I laughed out loud many times and even cried a bit. I enjoyed Freud’s growth not only in herself but in her relationships with her family. Loved that she got her HEA. Looking forward to reading more from this author.

I've had a few years in my life were it seemed like I had endless weddings to attend each "season". I am fortunate that most of these weddings I attended with my husband, which was the plan for Freya until her fiance Matthew breaks things off... the day before their wedding. Now Freya is facing the wedding season alone and jilted. To get her through, her best friends devise a plan. Freya must complete a task at each wedding to help keep her mind off of her heartbreak. Hilarity often ensues as Freya pushes herself out of her comfort zone, learns more about who she is when she isn't with Matthew and realizes maybe her love story is over.

You guys, this book is so cute. It's a lovely story featuring the likeable Freya and her amazing friends that are the real relationship goals. The support and loyalty the trio show each other is the best part of the story. The plot is fun and while the ending is somewhat predictable, it is also exactly what I wanted for Freya and I love a happy ever after.

Thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

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!

I really liked this book. I loved following Freya’s journey throughout this book and I loved the whole idea of the challenges that Leo and Ruby gave her. I enjoyed all of the side characters as well. I enjoyed reading Freya’s journey of discovering herself again after her breakup and coming out stronger on the other side
I enjoyed seeing how Jamie and Freya’s relationship changed throughout the book and how Freya and her mom's relationship changed. This story was so fun and entertaining. I enjoyed the authors writing style and look forward to checking out more from her.

Overall, this was a 4.75 for me!

Thank you to St. Martins Press and NetGalley for a copy of this e-book in exchange for an honest review.

My first ever ARC was also by this author and I loved this book just as much as that one! Katy Bitchalls books are fun and entertaining yet still have a deeper side to them, for sure recommend!

When after twelve years together, the groom calls off the wedding the day before the festivities are scheduled to take place, Freya must pick up the pieces of her life and determine how to go forward, while understandably looking back to see if anything can be salvaged. Plus she has to find a way to get through multiple weddings of her friends in the coming months. This romantic comedy/women's fiction book offers plenty of humor along with real emotion and soul searching. Recommended.

What a fun and delightful read! I enjoyed the humor and each of Freya’s wins.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Monica: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I adored this novel. Perfect for anyone in need of a good laugh, a reminder of the power of love and an effortless dose of levity. Katy’s latest 𝘳𝘰𝘮-𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩-𝘢-𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦-𝘣𝘪𝘵-𝘰𝘧-𝘤𝘰𝘮 is perfect for fans of Christina Lauren, Sarah Hogle, Sarah Adams and Sophie Kinsella.

❤️‍🔥 Pros
The plot is creative, intriguing and flows easily. The writing is sharp, thoughtful and heartfelt. Katy balances comical inner commentary and witty banter with meaningful moments and an intimate journey of self-discovery to create a story that is heartwarming, heartbreaking and healing in the best way.

❤️‍🩹 Cons
This novel reads 𝘴𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘭𝘺 more like Women’s Fiction and less like a Romcom, but the comedic elements were clever and cute.

❣️ Overall
In equal measure this novel is sharp, sentimental, sweet, sassy and so full of love. I highly recommend!

I devoured Katy’s 2021 release, The Secret Bridesmaid, so I was over the moon to receive an advanced digital copy of The Wedding Season in exchange for an honest review. I loved this book so much I couldn’t wait to purchase a physical copy and add annotations corresponding with my digital ARC bookmarks! She looks gorgeous sitting alongside her sister on my shelf. Thank you sincerely Netgalley, Katy Birchall and St. Martin's Griffin.

This is my second read by this author that I loved! Her main characters always make me laugh and her tone of writing the characters makes me feel like I would be their best friend. This one is a little heavier with the sadness of the breakup being a main theme of the story, but I loved the plot line of having a list of tasks during ”the wedding season.” The side characters are just as fun as the MC! I look forward to continuing to read this authors books!!

Just from reading the book summary, I was intrigued from the get-go. And I definitely enjoyed myself with this book.

Freya Scott was an adorable main character. I truly felt for her when her fiance left her hours before their wedding. I can understand her feelings of being angry with everyone, especially the male species. I just wish she would enjoy herself more than thinking she needs to be with someone. Sometimes, being alone is the best thing when you truly find yourself again.

This story follows the perspective of Freya, a woman whose fiancé dumps her the night before their wedding, and she is devastated. In order to make it through the rest of the wedding season, her friend comes up with a list of tasks for her to complete at each of the eight weddings that will be happening, to keep her mind off her broken heart. It is a contemporary romance set in England.
I was super excited about this story. It sounded so fun, and I thought it was going to be full of hilarious moments plus a cute romance, but it was a bit of a letdown. It did not have the funny moments that I was expecting, which based on her task list would have been amazing. I think that this book missed out on some great opportunities for some hijinks and awkward swoon-worthy interactions between the love interest. Some of the tasks on her list were accounted for after the fact instead of being in the moment when it happened which took me out of the story and felt like we missed out. The love interest didn't even make an appearance in the story until 40 percent into the book. It ended up dull at times and I did not develop a connection or have strong feelings about the main characters. The writing was fine and I thought the story moved at a pretty good pace I was just looking for a bit more over the top, laugh out loud Overall, I was a bit disappointed but I do think that this book would be a great one for people looking for a more tame story with just a sprinkle of romance in it but it was just not for me and I found it ok but not mind-blowing.
I received this advanced ebook, via Netgalley. This review is my own honest opinion.

I love the tropes in this book, and I love when good things come out of a bad situation. Freya had a solid village, and she got to find her own worth, her own voice, her own self., I'd read it again in a heartbeat!

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC!

Katy Birchall’s The Secret Bridesmaid was such a fun time and this was not a letdown! It was light and funny and a wonderful escape. Now I know I can depend on Katy for a light-hearted afternoon read.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!