Another great read from Lucy Score! This book started off with a BANG! And then it felt a little more normal. I love a good enemies to lovers and opposites attract story. Definitely recommend!

The Worst Best Man lived up to the high standards I’ve come to expect from Lucy Score’s books (after reading and enjoying several of her other books). It’s fun with a balance of sweet and spicy that really hits the mark.

Brooklynite Frankie is putting herself through business school with two part time jobs. She couldn’t be more of a fish out of water as the maid of honor at her Uber-rich best friend’s destination wedding in Barbados. The rest of the bridal party are all vapid, wealthy snobs who look down on Frankie. Frankie especially dislikes the best man Aiden after he insulted her behind her back after they first met. However, when the wedding is in jeopardy, she has to work together with Aiden to save it, and in the process, Frankie starts to realize that he’s not so bad. Their wildly different worlds collide as they get to know each other and spend time together, and they ultimately realize that their worlds aren’t so different after all.

I thoroughly enjoyed both Frankie and Aiden, and the third act breakup - usually my least favorite part of a romance novel - worked surprisingly well for me. The reason was believable and wasn’t just down to miscommunication. The cast of side characters are a bit stereotypical and cartoonish at times, but that didn’t bother me since I felt they fit the narrative, which leaned into the absurdity of itself in a very tongue-in-cheek way. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys opposites attract romance with an outspoken, bold FMC.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloom Books for the ARC of this rerelease!

Frankie is not a girl who pulls punches. She's also a woman who works hard for every single bit of what she has. Her friends, however, are mostly the kids of the most influential business people which creates a disconnect between their reality and hers - especially the way they treat others and the way they view money. So when Frankie catches the eye of one of the most eligible men of them all, one known for his womanizing and cold distance, she knows she's got to stay away.
Luckily for her, the most reasonable of them all but they still have to navigate some pretty bizarre situations- or what feel like bizarre situations, for each of them.
I love Lucy Score because she has a way with mingling some of the most wild ideas with characters that are loveable and enjoyable, and moments that are sweet and comedic. I could see her high society world as much as the blue collar family world. This book had moments I needed to pause and wonder "what the ever loving what is happening right now..." but at the same time I never wanted to put the book down.

#arc
#netgalley
#theworstbestman

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks!
I read this book, all in one sitting, during a stuck at home snow day. What a fun way to get away from the gray, Illinois weather! Both beginning and ending in a fun, tropical setting, this book was a great read, where you found yourself rooting for the main characters to overcome their obstacles and get that happy ending!

I love Lucy Score’s books. This was really cute and steamy. Aiden sounded dreamy and Frankie was a strong woman and lovable character. I enjoyed the sidekicks as well, Chip and Pruitt. This was 3.5 stars from me and a fast read. The premise was a little silly - billionaire and poor girl trope but was a fun read. <3

Great story based on a rich/poor grumpy/sunshine trope, I really enjoyed discovering Franchesca and Aiden's adventures. And yes, we can talk about adventures : they can't stand each other, but they are bridesmaid and best man, and they go on an island to celebrate the wedding. And all things go wrong from there. Except their attraction.
I also liked that all the story doesn't happen onlly in the island : they see each other again once they go back to New York, and try to give their story a chance. Even if he's a billionaire, and she doesn't belong to his world.
They both have flaws, but they finally resolve them together.
I couldn't put that book down, and it took me only one day to read it...

** I received The Worst Best Man as an arc through NetGalley**

I am a big Lucy Score fan and really enjoyed The Worst Best Man! I am always a fan of a grumpy male lead who becomes obsessed with the girl- and the Aiden/Frankie dynamic was sooo good! As far as smut goes, this book definitely has some spicy scenes but not as much as some of Lucy's other books. This read is good for people just starting with the romance genre. I also really enjoyed Pru and Chip as the best friends / b roll characters throughout the book! I would recommend this to beginner romance readers, people who like Lucy Score, or to people who like a surly male and a confident, takes no shit female!

Overall: 8/10
Spice: 3.5/5

The worst best man is your typical poor girl/rich man trope. The first third of the book is forced proximity from the wedding that Aiden and Franchesca are a part of. Aidens first impression is not the best and that sparks a rocky start for the two. I didn’t like that there were so many poorly behaved characters in this book. It made anyone with money appear stuck up, unwelcoming, jealous and sneaky. Aidens mother is nice but she was also not originally wealthy.

The writing style was easy to follow and kept you turning the page. Frankies family is lovely and it is easy to root for them the whole way: overall its a decent read.

While i dont rate this my fav lucy score book , I really enjoyed it alot. I sware Lucy never lets me down, She is always keeping me laughing , drooling over her MMC;s, and rooting for the FMC !

This is the first book I’ve read by Lucy Score and I, definitely a fan! Her characters are full of spunk making you laugh way past your bedtime.

I would like to start off with the fact that there is not enough stars in this galaxy to rate The Worst Best Man so here you go 5 PLUS!!! The Worst Best Man I think is some of Lucy Score's best work to date. She delivers everything you want in a romantic comedy and more. Every page had me hysterically laughing, swooning, getting pissed off with Frankie and getting all 50 shades in my panties! Aiden Kilbourne is Manhattan's most eligible billionaire bachelor. As quoted "The man was a freaking marvel. His orgasms probably had orgasms." The only thing rich about Franchesca aka Frankie is the big heart she carries. Oh Frankie hails from Brooklyn and is a sweetheart but don't let her kindness fool you. That mouth on her is loud and loaded with witty but honest truth leaving her no problem telling you or anyone how it is. She is beyond beautiful and too smart for her own good. Frankie and Aiden are the bridesmaid and best man to their best friends destination wedding in Barbados. Their story only begins there but it's one you will want to read over and over.

Loooovee this book! I love Frankie’s spunk but fierce personality. The whole idea of the book was phenomenal. Couldn’t get enough of all the romance and spice this book had.

This was a cute romance about a wealthy friend group with one “poor” friend who inevitably falls for a billionaire who has refused to ever settle down. The enemies to lovers plot was fun to dive into and there were a few very funny moments!

For the most part I really enjoyed this book — the reason I took off a few stars was because I found Aiden to be a bit one dimensional in the sense that all he ever really commented on about Frankie was her appearance and how he wanted to hookup with her. I found that the majority of her other characteristics were pushed aside and all he really cared about were her looks and the physical attraction.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks-Bloom Books for an ARC copy to read and review!

I really thought I was going to love this book. This is the first Lucy Score book I did not give 5 stars to. The book seemed like it tried to be a Rom-Com, but it just didn't hit right.
I loved 95% of the characters individually, but together they just did not mix.
I did love how Francesca aka Frankie spoke up and had no filter. We rarely see that in FMC anymore. She reminded me a bit like myself and it was a bit refreshing.
They story was a but unbelievable, therefore it was hard to stand by.
Just when I was really starting to get onto the book it ended abruptly.
P.S. This book is written in 3rd person POV.

However, this will not deter me into no longer reading a Lucy Score book as adore her righting.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Frankie and Aiden were the best!! This was such a fun book to read and I couldn’t put it down! That’s how all of Lucy’s books are though. She is an auto read author for me and never ever disappoints. Frankie and Aiden were written so perfectly! This book was laugh out loud funny and I will definitely be reading it again! Loved this book!


📘: The Worst Best Man by Lucy Score
🗓️: January 16, 2024

Thank you to NetGalley, Lucy Score, and Sourcebooks Bloom Books for this ARC!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

*Reviewed on NetGalley, Amazon, and Goodreads.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

I have so many mixed emotions about this book. My biggest complaint is that it was too long; it just seemed to drag and then everything wrapped up way too quickly at the end. My other complaint was how "cookie cutter" the supporting characters were --- the brothers, the bridesmaids, the rich people. The plot itself was a bit predictable and a bit convoluted.

With that being said, I liked the main characters and their dialog. I also appreciated both the male and female friendships. Overall, not my favorite.

Lucy Score’s “The Worst Best Man” is a Billionaire-enemies-to-lovers romance. Billionaire and forever bachelor Aiden Kilbourn, age forty, meets middle-class MBA student and small business woman, Franchesca “Frankie” Baranski. Chip and Pruitt “Pru” are getting married after reuniting after a long break-up. Aiden is Chip’s best man and Frankie is Pru’s maid-of-honor. Aiden and Frankie’s relationship starts off rocky when Chip makes fun of her nickname and she overhears him referring to her as a stripper.

When Chip is kidnapped for a ransom, the unlikely pair team up to find Chip in time for the wedding ceremony. The physical attraction and promise of multiple orgasms entice Frankie to let half her guard down and entertain Chip’s offer to be friends-with-benefits, with no future promises.

This novel tried to be more than just a simple rich and poor, overcoming social class and norms romance. The abduction scene and rift between Aiden’s entire family: brother, step-mom, and father, were over the top. The wedding party women were rude and cruel. It is apparent Score has no experience with the one percent because the stereotypical women she has written in this book, are not indeed how the one percent act. Women will compete for men and bring women down for their own advantage, but the comments the bridal party make about Frankie are not realistic. If we look at the one percent of people in America and who they are married to, more often than not the spouse is not some ivy league, trust fund baby.

Aiden has never had the view of a long lasting married based on love. His dad married his mom and cheated on her with a younger model. His father Ferris views marriage as a business transaction, one to keep the blood line pure. When Aiden meets Frankie, she is unlike any woman he has ever met. Money doesn’t influence her behavior and he finds himself wondering if he could potentially throw his bachelor life away. I would have enjoyed seeing Aiden’s character more vulnerable. This novel was missing that insecurity and uncertainty that a full-time bachelor would have when they start to develop feelings that they have never had.

Most of the interactions between the two are filled with flirtatious banter and the descriptive sex scenes Score is known for, yet I never found the couple connecting and growing that bond that they end up having. Most of their dates happen off the page so their goals, insecurities, motivations, life views, etc., are never mentioned. These conversations allow the reader to fall for the characters and believe their love story, but when omitted, it becomes a story of lust and a “happily ever after” ending that isn’t to be believed.
I liked Aiden’s feminist character. He fired employees for a lack of diversity and believed women who alleged sexual assault and harassment against their male employers. He acquires a firm and fires its CEO when the man grabs Frankie and attempts to assault her.

Frankie was very anger-oriented and resentful for the life she has endured. She is constantly making remarks about Aiden’s money and using terms like gajillionare and other letters in front of billionare. It is clear she is insecure about the difference in their social classes, but she takes an immature response to everything involving money in their relationship. Eventually this complaining would lead to a fallout in any relationship. It is annoying and while the insecurities of not fitting in and not being enough are truthful and realistic, the execution reads more like a kid throwing a temper tantrum for not getting their way.

The last few chapters were unrealistically farcical. Everything is wrapped up in a neat little bow. All the controversial players are taken care of and the couple get to have their happily-ever-after. This isn’t a spoiler. All of Score’s novels, unless part of a series, end with every hole filled (pun intended).

I received an ARC from Netgalley and BloomBooks for an honest review. I will continue to support Lucy Score and read her novels, despite this review.

Rating 2.5/5

"Don't argue about not belonging to me. I belong to you. I'm yours. All in, remember? It goes both ways."
"All in," Frankie murmured.

-opposites attract, strong fmc, best man/maid of honour
-Aiden (40) and Frankie (34) had good chemistry and I really enjoyed how thoughtful Aiden was 🥹🩷
-I understood Frankie’s skeptism but felt she doubted Aiden’s intention too much, especially after he had proven time and time again that she mattered and it was genuine (thank goodness for Pru and her pep talks!!)
-thank you to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books for this read ✨

3.6⭐️

Made me think of Pride and Prejudice as I was reading. Interesting cast of characters, never a dull moment in this book. Great story, love this author.

I absolutely adored immersing myself in this timeless journey of enemies turning into lovers and friends tiptoeing towards something more. The thrilling start with a groom's kidnapping set the stage for a rollercoaster of emotions, making my weekend truly enchanting. As I delved deeper, echoes of "Pretty Woman" vibes emerged, weaving a spell that enveloped me in warmth, leaving my heart aglow with love.

In the tender moments, I felt a yearning for characters whose essence lingered in my thoughts, and this story delivered in abundance. The protagonists, with their genuine interactions and heartfelt moments, became the heartbeat of my weekend read. Their dance of emotions was not just a delightful experience but a captivating voyage into a world where love blossomed unexpectedly.

This novel became a cherished part of my heart—an utterly enchanting and heartwarming escape. It was the perfect companion for a weekend filled with the tender embrace of love, genuine laughter, and the timeless allure of a romance tale that resonated deeply with the desires of my heart.