I loved the setting and some of the characters but the FMC was just so unlikable and selfish that I couldn't like the book. The premise is great, the writing si good, and the MMC is likable, but our main girl Andi just makes everything about herself and I don't know if that's really something that I like in people or characters.

Andi finds out her fiancée is cheating on her right before their wedding and decides she hates weddings after that. Now her best friend is getting married and she's given a week in Italy (for free) where she meets the best man Owen and finds out he's super cynical and hates weddings too. The two of them don't have much chemistry but end up developing feelings for each other and while Owen wants it to go somewhere, Andi decides to end whatever it is they have when she goes home. Eventually he wears her down and the two get together.

If you like reading about a character who only does what she wants and ruins things for people when it's not going her way, this is the book for you.

Oh gosh, talk about a cute and fun read. I loved this book from page one. Such a fun story about a resistant maid of honor doing all the things for her best friend and watching it all fall apart.

This was such a cute read! Something about books being set in Italy always makes it so romantic. This did feel a little slow at times but overall I did enjoy it and would recommend it!

This book was very slow to me, the premise was cute and it did have entertaining parts but it really dragged.

Unfortunately I had to dnf. i could not get past the main character not wanting to go to her best friends wedding like i know she had a bad experience with her wedding but come on it’s your best friend. she’s was just a very annoying character.💀

thank you to NetGalley and Aria &. Aries for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I, unfortunately, just could not get over Andi’s attitude at the beginning of this story. I understand that the point is her growth - but her inability to be happy for her best friend on her wedding day was so frustrating. Usually I can get over not loving a main character, but none of the side character were particularly interesting and the pacing was a little slow.

Thank you to NetGalley and Aria and Aries for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review

I actually found Andi to be really intolerable and I struggled with how she couldn’t put her own issues aside. Yes, what happened was horrible - but you’re going to act this way why? She is so whiny and I honestly struggled to get through this book because of it. I think it was a cute concept but it fell flat for me :/

This book was such a great read - a fun romcom. Andi does not like weddings and she is met with the challenge of being Maid of Honour for her friend, Alex. The following week is an exciting week to say the least - a series of mishaps that will make you lol. Andi finds a partner in her distaste with weddings with the best man, Owen. A fabulous read - you will not be disappointed.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

This book, however, is really Andi's slow growth to opening herself up. At 34, she's only ever worked with her mother in the now-failing family family fish and chip shop.
At times she's a poor best friend to Alex with her attitude, or, when she feels Owen getting through her guard, a bit of a porcupine. Luckily she got a few home truths served by other characters! Some might find her off-putting (and she certainly tested my patience with her especially near the end), but I find my favourite sort of characters are the ones who are spiky because they have to undertake a real growth to make changes and own up to their mIstakes.
At times, I think the pace got a bit too slow, and I'd liked to have seen Andi's growth start to emerge a bit earlier on (especially her work plans). And while there's a fantastic spark between the two cynics as they find themselves as they spend the week in the Italian sunshine participating in wedding festivities, I would've liked more on how Owen's feelings changed, given how often And pushed him away. Owen was equally if not more cynical than Andi, but totally supportive and sweet so it just didn't quite become clear why And made him re-evaluate his stance.

United by a hate of weddings, disaster after disaster befalls their close friends’ wedding. Amongst trying to get the wedding in Italy off the ground and the party favours found, and the vegetarian meal sourced and the speeches written love blossoms. Amongst the growing romance there are beautiful descriptions of Italy and little restaurants and shops. The food descriptions made my mouth water and this all helps Andrea grow into someone she is proud to be but also someone who holds her own with Owen and knows she deserves a happy ever after.

After Andi catches her fiancee Hannah cheating with the maid of honour on their wedding day, her already tainted view of love is shattered. So, when best friend Alex announces her week long wedding celebrations in Italy, Andi is not on board. Lucky for her, the best man Owen also hates weddings! What could possibly go wrong?

What a fresh take on rom-com! This book goes to show you don’t always need the smut when you can have an epic romance. Lucy creates such colourful descriptions. from the warmth of the Amalfi Coast, the yellowest of lemons & the mouth watering food… I felt like I was dreaming of Italy at one point.

At times, it was a bit slow hence the 4 stars & closer to the end, I felt there was a rush to cram in details to back up Andi’s future work plans that could possibly have been introduced earlier but overall, this was a lovely, heart warming story.

Perfect to take on holiday, a book full of humour, chaos and celebration.

Thanks to Aria & Aries and NetGalley for the ARC! Well done Lucy Knott!

Really loved this laugh out loud, sexy, fun and emotionally thrilling journey filled with exciting and engaging charters, witty dialog, heart racing twist and undeniable passion. Was a great edge of your seat read from beginning to end.

I like how this is really a story about figuring yourself out first and then a rom-com. A bit slow in the beginning, but I ended up falling for the main characters. A lot of great side characters too.

I received an ARC from netgalley and the publisher!

3.75 STARS

This was a pretty enjoyable read. I felt like the beginning and end of the novel were paced well and written in a way that drew me in and made me want to keep reading. The middle of the book kind of felt like it dragged a bit, but it was worth sticking with it.

Lucy Knott's writing is great. She has a good sense for humour and the dialogue was witty for the most part, and this can be quite difficult to express well on paper. It was great to see an older female main character (34) and I was happy to see LGBTQ+ representation as well.

I'm sure some readers will be looking for the spice level, so for those interested this is a fade-to-black novel.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC!

I loved this quick and easy read. So cute! I loved it from page one. Such a good storyline and the characters are great.

this book was cute and a quick read. the character's chemistry wasn't that amazing but it was still a quick and fun read

Very cute. Made me want Italian food and also fish and chips the entire time. I wish the FMC got out of her own way sooner, but she got there in the end and that's what matters.

3.5 stars rounded up because spiky females usually get marked down.

After Andi catches her fiance Hannah cheating on their wedding day, her already cynical attitude towards love is cemented. This is a problem when her best friend Alex announces her wedding celebrations in Italy. Luckily for Andi, her views are shared by best man Owen.

This book, however, is really Andi's slow growth to opening herself up. At 34, she's only ever worked with her mother in the now-failing family family fish and chip shop. At times she's a poor best friend to Alex with her attitude, or, when she feels Owen getting through her guard, a bit of a porcupine. Luckily she got a few home truths served by other characters! Some might find her off-putting (and she certainly tested my patience with her especially near the end), but I find my favourite sort of characters are the ones who are spiky because they have to undertake a real growth to make changes and own up to their mistakes.

At times, I think the pace got a bit too slow, and I'd liked to have seen Andi's growth start to emerge a bit earlier on (especially her work plans). And while there's a fantastic spark between the two cynics as they find themselves as they spend the week in the Italian sunshine participating in wedding festivities, I would've liked more on how Owen's feelings changed, given how often Andi pushed him away. Owen was equally if not more cynical than Andi, but totally supportive and sweet so it just didn't quite become clear why Andi made him re-evaluate his stance.

With its vivid descriptions of Italian life, from the food, the Amalfi coast and the heavenly-sounding villa, I was ready to pack my bag and book a plane ticket to head there myself. All in all this book is a fabulous summer beach read with the fun and banter that I really appreciate.

Thanks to Aria & Aries and NetGalley for the ARC.

I so wanted to love this book. The idea was charming and I really felt for Andi after the prologue, but I just could not connect with her after that. I understand how brutal her experience was, but I just couldn't comprehend that she refused to set aside her own hurt for her friends, especially years later when Alex had been there for her through her own wedding disaster: I also found it so frustrating that Andi just kept having the same conversations in circles: with Alex and Charlie, with her mom, with Owen. I'm not even sure if she really grew as a character or if she just ended up depending on Owen to give her a path the same way she seemed to depend on her mom to before the chip shop closed.

Overall I enjoyed the idea and concept of the book but the execution made it really hard for me to enjoy.

I enjoyed the kickoff and the set up in the prologue. The writing itself was snappy and quick, which was lovely. I was excited to continue, expecting an easy four-star read. Then chapter 1 became more expositional and a bit repetitive, and the writing felt a bit different (slower, longer, not as fun, definitely not as snappy). I did stop at the end of the chapter (7%). I would say three to four stars for the target audience.

From a business perspective, I wonder how many will be turned off by the prologue's style and put the book down even if they'd love the rest, or the opposite, turned on by the prologue and disappointed by the shift. The book may have some trouble finding its audience.

Thank you to NetGalley and Aria for the ARC.