“Lies are hard to hold onto – slippery, malignant things that are difficult to keep under control.”

I loved so many things about this book. The isolated setting, and the extreme weather conditions, certainly add to the sense of danger and claustrophobia, further exacerbated by some unexpected guests.

The characters provided a little bit of an issue for me at first. Although it’s understandable that Victoria didn’t want to produce likeable or empathetic characters, I found the number of multiple perspectives and different strands quite difficult to follow, at first. This is definitely a complex story, with a huge tangled web of lies that needs to be ironed out. As a reader, you feel a little lost and unsettled for a while, but that may well have been the author’s intentions.

I slowly began to understand the characters, their differences and their motives. Here, the multiple perspectives comes into their own as all the women have different theories about what each of them is hiding, and you begin to build your own opinions based on this.

There were quite a few unexpected twists, and one in particular that I really didn’t see coming. I’d say that probably, for the the last 35% of the book at least, I was hooked and gobbled it down. I had to know the outcome!

This book is really well-written and provides an insightful and original exploration into the danger of secrets and lies. I did have sympathy for Holly in the end, but not much!

“Tell yourself something enough times and eventually it becomes the truth.”

This book was a fast paced & well plotted. Each chapter is told through the perspective of one of the characters, so it is bit to keep up with at first. Overall, this thriller that you won’t be able to put it down and filled with plot twists (some more predictable than others). It’s a quick read and I recommend it.

Thank you NetGalley my ARC copy!

What did I just read?
Holly is on her hen weekend away with her nearest and dearest. What should be a lovely send off into married life turns into her friends revealing many truths that have been hidden from Holly for over two decades. Every friend she thought she knew has been keeping something from her.

Just wow!! This plot was messy with lies and deceit which made for a quick page turning read 🫢 I couldn’t help but like all the characters even though they were all hiding their own truths.

I’m so thankful that my many hen weekends away were with lovely friends, if only Holly could say the same!

Book: The Bridesmaids
Author: Victoria Jenkins
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Review~
The Bridesmaids is a psychological thriller and with some suspense and mystery

Holly is getting married and has a getaway with her bridesmaids in a cottage. While being at the cottage with all of her friends their was a body in the pool that was unexpected

This book is an easy read and very fast past. There is some drama between each of the bridesmaids and Holly. There are different povs of the bridesmaids that includes Holly, Claire, and Suzanne.

When reading their pov you can tell that each of them didn’t know each other well and that they were hiding things from each other. There were lots of secrets and lies.

Overall this was a fast read I highly recommended reading this if you love psychological thriller, suspense, and mystery book

I received an arc copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for my honest opinion of it. I did not enjoy this book at all and could not even finish it. Too many characters with no explanations of who they were. So confusing

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'The Bridesmaids' by Victoria Jenkins.

Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Victoria Jenkins, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous

Publication date 23rd May 2022.

This is the third book I have read by this author. I have previously read 'First Playdate' and 'The New Family' which I highly recommend.

I was originally drawn to this book by its beautiful eye catching cover and its intriguing synopsis and title. The synopsis stated that 'Fans of The Girl on the Train, Gone Girl and The Wife Between Us will love this pulse-racing psychological thriller.' I am a huge fan of 'Gone Girl' so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement. I am also a huge fan of Victoria and if this is half as good as 'The Playdate' and 'The New Family' it is sure to be a page turning read. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).

This novel consists of 31 chapters. The chapters are short to medium in length so possible to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!

This book is set in England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 , UK 🇬🇧. I always seem to get on with books that are set in the UK better as I am from Wales and have sometimes visited places mentioned in the book as I have had many holidays and days out in England.

This book is written in a mix of third and first person perspective and the protagonists are Claire, Suzanne and Holly. The benefits of books written in first person perspective are as long as they are well written it makes you feel that you are being spoken to by the protagonist and it can create more of a bond between yourselves and them. If there are several protagonists you also get to see more of what is going on. The benefits of third person perspective with multiple protagonists are that it let's you see the bigger picture of what's going on and you get to know more characters more, what they are thinking and what they are doing. It feels like you get to see the whole picture and not miss out in anything. To have the benefit of both first and third person perspective ensures you don't miss out on anything.

Well, Well, Well I did NOT expect that bombshell of an ending!!!

Wow!!! What a rollercoaster ride of a read!!! Fantastically written with vivid descriptions throughout making me feel like I was in the storyline. The synopsis, title and cover suited the plot perfectly.

I could not put this book down and read it in one sitting!!! I absolutely LOVE the fact it is set during a hen night in an isolated cottage, a creepy and unique setting. The storyline was absolutely gripping and kept me up until the early hours of the morning as I could not put it down!! I was absolutely gobsmacked when everything came out, absolutely explosive twists which I was not expecting!!! A HUGE congratulations to Victoria on that as it is definitely getting harder and harder to shock me but you most definitely did that!!! There were points where my heart was in my throat and I was on the edge of my seat, and then the edge of my bed as I was not putting this book down until I finished!!! I loved that everything was tied up nicely at the end as a pet hate of mine is loose ends and having something mentioned in a book that the author seems to then forget about but absolutely everything was explained by the end of this one. It is rammed with secrets, friendship, family, crime and absolutely everything you could ask for in an explosive psychological thriller! I was absolutely mind blown by some of the secrets that were coming out and just when I thought they had all been told BOOM another shocker!!! The ending was definitely the biggest twist and I would not have seen that one coming in a million years!! This book would make a fantastic movie!!

It is set over multiple time lines. When books show what has happened in the past and what is happening in the present I find it really helps the reader (if it is well done) understand why things are happening and what has lead to the present activities and decisions. It also shows the bigger picture.

The characters were all strong, realistic and very well developed. I was completely invested in each and every one of their stories. They all had such unique personalities and I felt different about each of them, liking them or not trusting them for different reasons. It is hard to say much about any of them really without giving anything away so I will go by how I felt before certain announcements were made. My heart completely went out to Holly who seemed to be in the middle of so many friends each hiding something from her. It was meant to be a break for her to relax and have fun before the wedding but it turned into anything but. I wasn't sure what to make of Suzanne but after finding out about how her and a certain someone had to hide the people they were I thought it was extremely sad that we still live in thay type of world where we can't be ourselves. I wasn't a massive fan of Martha and found her to be a show off who liked to flash the cash. Zoe seemed to be very quiet so I didn't really have much of an opinion on her apart from her strange behaviour. I really liked Toni who seemed to be a struggling hard worker while having stress from her daughter Georgia who I really didn't like and thought to be a spoilt brag. Regardless of whether you love or hated the characters they all worked perfectly well to make this a page turning psychological thriller!!

I absolutely loved your book Victoria and congratulations on yet another HUGE success . I cannot wait to read more of what promises to be heart stopping reads. Here's to your next success 🥂.

Overall a heart pounding, page turning, edge of your seat psychological thriller filled with explosive twists that will keep you up late at night.


Genres covered in this novel include Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Women's Fiction and Psychological Fiction amongst others.

I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of Lisa Jewell, 'The Girl on the Train' , 'Gone Girl', 'The Wife Between Us' and anyone looking for a mind blowing psychological thriller!

275 pages.

This book is just £2.99 to purchase on kindle or free on kindle unlimited (at time of review) via Amazon or which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!

Rated 5/5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.

Feel free to add me on Goodreads or follow me on my website or Facebook for more reviews

#TheBridesmaids #Bookouture #VictoriaJenkins #NetGalley #BookReview #BlogTour #BooksOnTour
@VictoriaJenkins @Bookouture @Bookworm1986 @bookworm86

https://kcmw86.wixsite.com/bookworm86

https://m.facebook.com/Bookworm1986/?ref=bookmarks

https://m.facebook.com/Bookwork86/?__tn__=%2As-R

https://www.instagram.com/bookwormwhitlock86/

#netgalley #thebridesmaids I really struggled to get through this one. I didn't like any of the characters and I struggled to keep track of who was who. 3/5 stars

Get ready for a speedy train ride with this story.

How can a few people keep so many secrets when they've been friends for almost all their lives?

Apparently it's possible. And that's exactly what's happening in here. Three longtime friends are taking part in a hen party before one of them gets married. Nothing exciting here apart from the dead body found in the pool the next morning.

There are two timelines that will come together somewhere in the middle of the story.

With each short and quick chapter, we find out new details about these characters and the secrets they keep hidden from one another.

I had my theory of who did it, but the end twist still surprised me.

Some books are made with characters that you can relate to and get close to them. Some are especially intriguing to me because, like in this case, none of these characters are likable and somehow, it still makes the whole story work perfectly.

Twisted and intriguing, The Bridesmaids is another page turner from a favourite author.

I enjoyed the pacing of this book A LOT. The chapters were quick and short, and I really liked the different POVs. The betrayals, secrets, and twists were so good and intriguing! However, I am not a fan of thrillers where the main characters make such silly and stupid decisions. If one or two characters had just acted grown up, the events that occurred would not have transpired. I also did not like the ending. It wrapped up rather quickly and I was not satisfied with it. Overall, it was a quick, addicting read, and I did enjoy it, just not as much as I hoped I would.

Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC. Quite the thriller! Reminded me of Phoebe Morgan’s The Wild Girls with its focus on the complicated nature of close female friendships and the toxicity of secret-keeping. Twisty and turny with a final twist that I will admit I did not see coming. Well worth a read!

The story is narrated from three of the women’s points of view, which I enjoyed. I can’t say I particularly warmed to any of them, especially the way they acted towards each other, which had me scratching my head as to how they have been friends for all these years. In saying that, this isn’t a bad thing as I do like the inclusion of unlikeable characters at times and these women have been created well in theses roles they play.

Well, where do I start with this one? This is absolutely one of the most tangled and twisty books that I’ve read in a long time

We are thrown right into the plot from the start, with the discovery of a body in the pool. Then we go back to the start of the hen weekend, and it all begins to unfold from there. By the time the two timelines join up, we have been taken on a hell of a rollercoaster ride.

It took me a while to figure out who everyone was, and what their link to Holly was, but one thing that they all have in common is that they are all keeping secrets, and there is a multi-layered web of deceit that needs to be untangled.

The characters are very real and authentic. I didn’t particularly warm to any of them, but this adds to the feeling of general distrust of everyone.

A lot of books claim to have a jaw-dropping twist in the plot, but this one has several. The twists just keep coming, and there’s so much going on that it’s impossible to put this book down once you get stuck in.

A completely head-spinning dramatic thriller, this is a book that I’d really recommend to anyone who loves a gripping read.

Wondrously swift but electrifying, Victoria Jenkins set the story off with a big bang! This story is anything but a slow burn. Readers get served plot twist after plot twist at every few pages.

Reading the story is like walking backwards to the past. I had no clue the novel would bring me back so much into the past, to a small detail mentioned in the first parts of the story. The main plot was subtle, covered in so much drama and thrilling scenes that when it finally came into view I was caught more than unawares. Fantastic!

Jenkins had my brain in endless loops of whiplash from the many revelations she threw ALL THROUGHOUT the story (yes, all throughout from start to finish I kid you not). If you ever decide to read this book prepare your mind, body, and soul. The author injected more themes and sub-themes in this novel than I can count in both hands.

Rather than character development, the author employed character retrogression. Just kidding. But the characters in this story all change at some point. This makes it all the more interesting as it bared the dynamics of a person facing adversity in my opinion. How different types of people take the truth, conflict, lies, betrayal, and all the juicy lot.

The ending is abrupt but satisfying. It left me speechless. Emotionless for a few brief moments. It left me in awe of the author. There is only one other book I've read that left me this way (The Song of Achilles). I was shocked at the persona of the main character. I had not consciously expected that turn of events yet know in my blood that something like the final revelation would turn out in the endgame. That did not make it any less shocking.

The true definition of a drama-mystery, The Bridesmaids is a bright flashing neon billboard sign warning readers to look out for Victoria Jenkins.

I was immediately engaged with the main characters, the bride and her #bridesmaids as they’re introduced in the first chapter!
A thrill of a ride is #TheBridesmaids! Twists and turns galore! Jump on the roller coaster and make sure you read it!
Thank you, Victoria Jenkins , Bookouture & NetGalley for my copy. All opinions are my own.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

I liked the book's cover, and it gave me a mysterious vibe. There were a lot of things going on in the book and in the bridesmaids' lives that is why there was a time I got so confused and mixed up in all the lies and deceit. I was close to DNFing in the first half but I am glad I went through and finished it. Everything wrapped up well in the end.

Gave it 3 stars because all at once there were a lot of things that were going on I did not know where to focus. I never got to digest a secret because another one has exploded right in front of my face without realizing it. I did not think it was realistic enough.. for me. hopefully this does not happen irl..

A group of friends go away for a Hen weekend and one of them ends up dead... but the culprit isn't obvious, as the grudges and resentment between these women is unparalleled.

An easy mystery with plenty of twists, The Bridesmaids is engaging but didn't grip me as much as I'd have hoped. The characters were interesting but some of the surprises weren't massively surprising!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

BOOKWORMS review:
Secrets and drama amongst friends in real life is awful..but don't you just love it in a book?! YES! Well you'll get it here.
Before Holly gets married she's to head off on a girly trip for her Hen..with her nearest and dearest friends. They all have their own pasts and baggage and this perhaps gets unpacked on holiday. This trip ends in the worst way possible...someone ends up dead! At the start we don't know who and we don't know who the culprit is either. It's gripping,full of twists and has you questioning how well any of us know our friends. Told in the point of view of Holly and 2 bridesmaids Suzanne and Claire. Thoroughly enjoyable. With thanks to Victoria Jenkins, Bookouture and netgalley for an ARC to review.

BOOKWORMS Rating: 📕 📕 📕 📕

Unfortunately I struggled through this book and ended up not caring what happened to any of the bridesmaids. They were all horrible characters but that isn’t the reason I didn’t enjoy this book. I do love a book with nasty horrible characters. In this book each chapter is narrated by one of the friends and I struggled with who the chapter was referring to and I had to keep going back to the start of the chapter to find the name . I found this a very slow read and nothing very exciting seemed to happen. I really don’t like giving a negative review but this one did nothing for me.

New author for me but I liked the sound of the book blurb and the look of the cover, both of which is what drew me to giving this book a go.

It was a highly entertaining and addictive reading, brilliant clever story plot which was pretty fast pace in places. The story was told from the view point of various characters which was good as it gave you insight into each character. However one thing that I found difficult at times was keeping tabs on which character was telling the story in chapter, I kept having to check back at times. At times I thought there was too many characters, especially when each one had their own individual story, secrets and motives taking place. If you were reading the story in one or two sittings then that’d be fine and easy, but when you’re reading the story over say six evenings, it is a lot of characters to remember to include their individual stories/backgrounds without getting them each mixed up.

But despite that I did really enjoy the story, there were quite a few surprises and twists throughout. I’d definitely read more by this author in the future.

I quite enjoyed this book. I finished it in less than two days. The writing was good, I also liked the twists here. So much happened in a weekend get away. Who would have thought that these long time friends are hiding so much secrets from each other? Love the concept of this one! Thank you so much for the ARC! 😃