Such a cute and quick listen!

I really enjoyed the storyline--Formula 1 driver?! I'm in. This is miscommunication at its finest. While I understood the basis for the miscommunication, I really did think it could have been cleared up a lot easier. But isn't that the general gist for miscommunication? Also a very solid slow burn with good spice.

Narration: Great narration. There were times the accent would drop off, but the narrator really did a great job with the different voices and keeping everything consistent. Well done! Made the story go so quick.

Super cute instalove romance with more smut than you'd thinkkkk!

Publisher's summary
Bridesmaid-for-hire Jane Drisdol juggles hundreds of weddings a year, not including dress fittings, engagement parties, and bridal showers, she's mastered the art of blending into the bridal landscape, but her latest gig poses a unique challenge. She is hired to play the role of Elle Vaughn—a socialite, debutant, and the bride’s childhood friend. And if there is one thing Jane has mastered it’s the ability to play a part if it means making others happy. The only problem is that Jane bumps into the bride’s sexy and infuriating brother at the airport—while not in disguise.
Formula 1 superstar, Henry Norris has made a career out of trusting his gut while driving at a steady three-hundred kilometers per hour. From the moment Elle sets foot in the wedding festivities, Henry’s suspicions and more personal parts are piqued. He can't quite put his finger on it, but something about this beautiful and brash bridesmaid doesn't add up. She is the opposite of the kind of person his sister associates with—opinionated, smart-mouthed, stubborn and, at least with him, snooty. With everyone else, she is the perfect bridesmaid.
As Jane weaves her way through bridal showers, wine tastings, and Formula 1 events, Henry becomes increasingly determined to uncover the truth. Yet, with every question he throws her way, the sexy socialite effortlessly spins a web of plausible explanations, leaving Henry both frustrated and intrigued and all revved up.
Despite their initial clashes, sparks fly between Jane and Henry, igniting a chemistry that is too turbocharged to be denied. But as the wedding day draws near, Jane's web of lies threatens to unravel, and she must confront the truth before it's too late. Will they cross the finish line or is this relationship too turbulent to navigate?

Thanks to NetGalley & Dreamscape Media for the ALC of this book!

Always a Bridesmaid
A Revved-Up Romance, Book 1
By: Marina Adair
Narrated by: Rachel L. Jacobs
Series: A Revved-Up Romance, Book 1
Length: 6 hrs and 12 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release date: 09-03-24
Language: English
Publisher: Dreamscape Media

Book Title: Always a Bridesmaid
Author: Marina Adair
Narrated by: Rachel L. Jacobs

Always a Bridesmaid is an example of a textbook romance, complete with enemies-to-lovers tension and a hidden identity that kept me listening. It’s the perfect palate cleanser between heavier reads, offering just the right mix of spice and sweetness to satisfy those looking for a light, entertaining weekend escape. While it may not redefine the romance genre, it certainly finds its stride in delivering a well-told story that’s as comforting as it is captivating. Highly recommended for a breezy listen!

Thanks to the NetGally and Dreamscape for the free advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

*review on socials scheduled later today, will update when they are out*

I read my first F1 romance, Cross the Line, a couple of months ago and I loved it, so when I saw another romance with a F1 driver lead, I was so excited. However, it does not focus much on that, rather on the status it gives the lead.

The story is about Jane, who has a bridesmaid business with her friend, in which they provide a bridesmaid to brides, be it because they don't have enough friends, they need someone to control the other bridesmaids or for any other reason. In this particular ocasion, the bride had a falling out with her bridesmaid-to-be and Jane will need to pose as Elle. What she does not expect is to have a run-in with the brother's bride before she transforms into Elle and for her to become curious about him.

It always creates a fun and interesting dynamic (plus I love the trope) when one of the characters is famous or has some sort of following, but in this case it was also entertaining because of Jane's job, which had to remain a secret, so there was a case of hidden identity, which added drama to the issue.

It was a short book so I appreciated that it went right into the action, which is the wedding reception. There is a clear attraction betwen the leads, which has them play a sort of dance when interacting, but rather than wondering how and when they would undoubtedly get together, which was undeniable, I was more interested in how Jane's identity would be revealed and how the scene would play out, as well as its consequences and follow-up.

As it happens with a lot of these books, everything happens too fast; for the celebrations last for a week, which is the amount of time they are together. I understand having a set date creates more drama, since it sets a finishing line for the couple, but it always annoys me. And, similarly to other books, the push and pull game between the two leads is more fun than when they actually get together. I also have to mention that it is a spicy book.

The wedding celebrations got my attention as well and I liked whenever Jane interacted with Sarah, the bride, for she was the reason Jane was there in the first place and I was anticipated an interesting dynamic and building friendship, so I wanted to see more of their interactions.

I listened to this on audiobook and I really appreciated the narrator using different voices for the female and male characters, which helped get into the scenes.

Always a Bridesmaid was a fluffy, sweet, and easy listen that fit perfectly in the steamy rom-com category. I had a delightful time listening to it! 😍

Plot-wise, the story includes all the classic dynamics you'd expect from a rom-com, but the author did a fantastic job of using clever twists to keep things fresh.
For example, the book has a significant miscommunication element, but it’s handled much better than usual. The female main character (FMC), Jane, is an undercover bridesmaid who has signed a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) and is legally bound not to share certain aspects of her life. This context makes the miscommunication more understandable and less frustrating than in most books.

Jane was a fierce, sexy, and loyal protagonist. I liked her a lot! 🔥 Harry Norris was the perfect book boyfriend—charming, attractive, and British. 🇬🇧 And let's not forget that he’s named Harry and is a Formula 1 driver with the surname Norris—double check! ✔️✔️ His vibe was consistently spot-on, and I was really disappointed that the audiobook didn’t have a male voice actor to represent him.

However, the book is written in the third person, and while I generally enjoy a multiple POV narrative and don’t mind third-person chapters, this time I would have preferred it to be solely from Jane’s perspective. At least that way, the voice would feel more fitting. 🤔
The voice actress did an excellent job, delivering a splendid British accent, but I really wished there had been a male narrator for Harry’s chapters to bring his character to life more vividly. 🎧

Overall, Always a Bridesmaid was a fun and lighthearted listen, perfect for fans of steamy romantic comedies who are looking for an easy and enjoyable story! 💕

Always a Bridesmaid by Marina Adair
A Revved-Up Romance series #1. Contemporary sports related romance.
Jane Drisdol is a Bridesmaid for Hire. She owns a company that allows a bride to hire someone to stand in and help organize a wedding from within the bridal party. Jane has been hired to pretend to be a specific socialite at a wedding in England, a long time friend of the bride. After an unfortunate squabble with a pushy male at the airport, Janet finds out he is the brother of the bride and one of the main people that’s she’s supposed to fool with the socialite identity. Jane is used to performing, so spins story and after story to keep Henry Norris from guessing what’s going on. He’s used to fast cars and fancy women as a Formula One driver living in Monaco but Jane has him tied up in knots. Something about her just doesn’t add up and for every question he asks, she’s able to spin another explanation. Henry is both frustrated and revved up.

🎧 I listened to an audiobook of this story which is narrated by by Rachel L Jacobs. There are specific and discernible voices for the male and female leads as well as the bride. Emotions such as anger, annoyance, and passion can be clearly heard as the story progresses. I feel like the audio version of this story is able to bring the characters alive.
I listened at my usual speed of 1.5 to more closely match my reading and talking patterns.

Fun concept and story idea. I enjoyed the conflicts between Jane and Henry because you could hear the underlying flirting between the two. There was more attraction than either of them could hide.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley and Dreamscape Media.

First thought: This book opened with the best meet cute and I was hooked from then on. The banter, the tension, the sass - throw that in with a destination wedding in London and formula one driver this is an instant yes! The hubs and I listen to this audio book together and we both enjoyed it. Fun read and plenty of lol moments.

Jane was hired to do a job, pretend to be a bridesmaid named Elle and pull off the most amazing wedding for her bride and launch her business to a new level. She didn’t anticipate the bride’s brother Henry getting in the way of doing her job. This is going to be a very interesting week of wedding activities in London and she needed to stay in character.

Henry was a famous formula 1 driver and he loves nothing more than his family, and his sister having the wedding of her dreams was his priority. The problem was he met a feisty American at the airport and she got under his skin, now she’s here at the wedding festivities why? Then his sister introduced her as Elle a Bridesmaid and close friend. He knew he needed to keep his distance cause there was something about her he was drawn to but he couldn’t cross that line.

Literally Themes you’ll find:

* Formula 1 Driver x Bridesmaid 4 Hire
* Secret Relationship
* Boss’s Brother - Forbidden
* Boy Obsessed
* Forced Proximity
* Great Banter
* Wedding in London
* Dual POV
* Spice 🔥

🏎️🏁🧡🏎️🏁🧡🏎️🏁🧡🏎️🏁🧡🏎️🏁🧡🏎️

4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Jane is in the business of weddings, ensuring your day goes off without a hitch. And she is good at it, no she is great at it.
So, when she gets hired on to be the bride's childhood friend, Elle is a socialite and debutant, which is far from who Jane is but who has mastered the art of making people happy. But what Jane didn't expect was to bump into the bride's brother on her way to the wedding before she was in character.

Henry is on his way to his sister's wedding and is held up at the airport by a woman who has shocked and intrigued him. He then finds out she is her sister's bridesmaid, Elle, the friend Henry doesn't think is very much a friend at all to his sister.
Despite all that Elle aka Jane and Henry flirt and banter and even though Jane is playing a part she lets Jane shine through.

I loved this book! It was fun and flirty interesting and so very entertaining. I loved that even though Henry is famous he doesn't let it go to his head. I loved that Jane just wanted to help anyone she could.

The narration was perfected, and I wasn't ever taken out of the story if anything I was captured by the performance.

Always a Bridesmaid by Marina Adair
A Revved Up Romance - Book 1
Solo Narration by Rachel L Jacobs
3rd person - dual point of view

This was a fun and spicy read that focused on a professional bridesmaid that was hired for a job to act as a specific person within a bridal party and the bride's brother. The two main characters start off on a negative note, but quickly develop a close relationship.
My favorite part was the acting out the spicy scenes from her romance book....HOTT.

* Brit + American
* Formula 1 driver + Bridesmaid for hire business owner
* Brides brother + bridesmaid
* Hidden identity

At the base of this, I really enjoyed the story. It’s 27 dresses meets the rich world of Formula 1. I’m a massive F1 fan so I’m devouring all the F1 romances I can. This one is on the lighter side in terms of how much content there is, but it worked well for the most part. I also really liked the “secret” identity aspect to, even though it makes the conflict a little predictable it leaves you wondering how it’ll come up. For me what didn’t work was the pacing. Yes I know it’s a 220 page book and kept within the confines of the marriage activities but it just made it feel so rushed and therefore I didn’t feel much connection between the characters. It felt so insta-love and that rarely works for me. I would have loved another 50-100 pages to really develop the characters and their love. Especially since they’re both emphasized how much they don’t trust easily, it just didn’t feel right how quickly it all went. I enjoyed the writing a lot and would love to read another book by the author.

This was a very cute and quick listen! I enjoyed the concept of the bridesmaids for hire.

The relationship between Jane and Henry was cute and spicy but I felt like it was rushed. I was really hoping for more wedding drama.

I did enjoy the audiobook and the performance Rachel L Jacobs was good.

Bridesmaid for hire
secret identity
F1 driver
Forbidden romance
3rd person

This was cute but fell flat for me. The relationship needed more angst for me it was very insta love and didn't gold my interest unfortunately. I also think we could have befit from dual or 1st person.

I did enjoy the narration and think it was well done.

Jane is used to being a bridesmaid for hire and is really good at blending in. This wedding is different than most because she is not only playing a bridesmaid, but a specific person, Elle Vaughn, who is a socialite who betrayed the brides trust by leaking information about her famous brother. Jane bumps into the brides brother at the airport when she is not in disguise and Henry later picks up on something that makes Jane, or Elle, stand out to him but he can’t put his finger on it. Throughout the wedding events, they spend more time together and as much as Jane doesn’t like to get involved with people from her jobs, she can’t stay away. Will Henry figure out her lies and if he does, how will he react?

This was a cute read and I love a bridesmaid undercover story. This one was different with Jane playing a specific person instead of just a generic bridesmaid which made the story different. They definitely had chemistry and the banter between Jane and Henry was hilarious. Overall, a good, easy read.

Honestly, I didn't like this one. It just didn't work for me. I felt that the story was kind of boring and lacked any depth. I couldn't find myself getting interested in the characters, I'm not sure what exactly it was, but I found them a bit unlikeable. I think it had to do with the fact that it was about rich and famous people, and it just didn't work for me. Elle/Jane and Henry didn't have any natural chemistry; all their interactions felt so forced, and I just couldn't get behind it. This is a spicy book, but I also didn't like these scenes; they felt uncomfortable or something. 
 
I listened to the audiobook, and I really like this narrator. She did a great job with her voice and accent change with each character. I would definitely listen to another book narrated by her.
 
Unfortunately, this book just isn't something I would recommend. I didn't like it; it just wasn't for me.

3.75 of 5 stars.

Forced proximity + Fake friend + Forbidden romance = A recipe for success!

This was so cute! Easy to listen to & get lost in the storyline.
Would have loved to have rated higher, but for that, I needed a longer book! Storyline felt rushed at times & could have used a little more character backstory/development.
All in all, a sweet romance with a few well written spicy scenes.
Looking forward to the next in the series!

Thank you so much to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

When I signed up for this arc, I was in desperate need for something to make the first 3o minutes of opening the coffee shop at 5:30 AM bearable, and a spicy audiobook sounded like just the trick. I was approved while sleeping, and when I woke up for work and saw the notification, I immediately started listening and did NOT want to stop. From the beginning, I was so in love with Jane, the FMC who only wants to make those around her happy, no matter what. She's smart and capable and barbed with a quick wit, and I really enjoyed her character coming alive.
We see this happen when Jane is hired to act as a bridesmaid in a high profile wedding that could catapult her business. However, when she gets there, keeping things professional becomes a challenge when the bride's brother and F1 star Henry Norris enters the scene and finds himself enamored with Jane, unable to keep himself away.

The back and forth between the two was really fun, and the added touch of Henry's accent in the narration was definitely appreciated. I found myself BLUSHING while listening to this and trying to input invoices like oh my goodness I knew it was going to be hot, but Marina really did a good job with the chemistry between Henry and Jane.

If you are looking for a quick and spicy read full of
- forbidden romance
- F1 star
- Hidden identity
- Friend's brother
- Forced proximity
- "Let's get it out of our systems."
.... then this is a book for you!

Always a Bridesmaid was such a fun, light-hearted read. The characters made me smile and the character development involved had me invested in the outcome very early on.

This was the first title I've experienced by Marina Adair, and I'm looking forward to checking out some of her other publications.

✨️💚✨️Audio Book Review✨️💚✨️

Book: Always A Bridesmaid
Author: Marina Adair
Rating: 5 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

I absolutely loved this book, so so so much!

Right from the beginning I knew I was going to enjoy it.

I devoured this one in one day and was hooked the whole way through.

The spice was straight 🔥 and I found the characters super loveable!

I loved how firey the FMC was and just how well the MMC could handle her.

You get:
• Bridesmaid For Hire
• Client's Brother
• Dual POV
• Formula 1 Driver MMC
• Celebrity
• Secret Relationship
• Spicy

I highly suggest you pick this one up! Available on KU, ebook, paperback, and audiobook.

I could not get into this one at all. I didn't connect with the story at all. I couldn't feel the connection between the characters, I had to DNF this one.

This was such a cute & quick read! Jane owns a bridesmaid for hire company & has an opportunity to really get her company going when she’s asked to pretend to be the brides rich bff! The bride has a very famous brother who is a formula 1 racer & you’ll just have to read it to find out what happens!😍

I listened to the audio of this book & the narrator, Rachel L. Jacobs does a fantastic job! I was laughing & giddy multiple times throughout the book! I loved the banter & “arguments” they had. The book scene 🫣😂 Also, Henry was the sweetest with how protective he was over his family. I loved that Jane had a chance to handle his dad & did a fantastic job at it! 👏🏼

Always a Bridesmaid has forced proximity, fake bridesmaid/bff, brides brother, formula 1 racer, & forbidden romance!

If you’re looking for a super cute quick read or audiobook, definitely check this one out!!

Thank you to NetGalley, Marina Adair, & Dreamscape Media for the audiobook ARC of Always a Bridesmaid.