A Fun but Predictable Rom-Com with Some Missed Potential ★★★☆☆

I received an early copy of The Bad Bridesmaid from Penguin Random House Australia in exchange for an honest review. While this book had a charming premise and plenty of rom-com flair, it ultimately landed somewhere in the middle for me—enjoyable, but not entirely memorable.

The story follows a classic enemies-to-lovers setup with all the wedding chaos you’d expect. Rachel John’s writing is light and engaging, making it easy to fly through the pages. The banter between the main characters is sharp and entertaining, and there are plenty of fun, laugh-out-loud moments that kept me invested.

However, I found some elements a little too predictable. The conflict felt somewhat surface-level, and I wished for a bit more depth in the character development—especially in the emotional arcs. While the romance had its sweet moments, I didn’t always feel the chemistry as strongly as I hoped.

Overall, The Bad Bridesmaid is a solid choice for fans of quick, lighthearted romance reads. It’s fun and flirty but didn’t quite leave a lasting impression. If you love wedding-themed rom-coms with plenty of drama, it’s worth picking up!

We first met Winifred (Fred) in The Other Bridget, which I enjoyed and found full of heart, all the bookish things and funny.

Unfortunately this one just didn’t quite hit in the same way - yeah there were a few funny one liners and I did enjoy the first 100 pages, but the fun ride just didn’t last.

The whole soon to be step-siblings thing I just couldn’t get on board with and this with their spice just left me feeling ick. I also have to mention that referring to his penis as a willy, was just a total no no for me - can we just call it what it is people.

I also just didn’t enjoy the whole ‘Operation Break-up’, I found it sad and mean, it did redeem itself slightly in the end and left my heart a little full though.

Look, it wasn’t all bad and it has a great reminder that our parents were young once too, with their own history and stories and the location of where this story was set - being Norfolk Island, does make me want to hop on a plane and head there on a holiday.

Thank-you NetGalley, Penguin Random House Australia and Rachael for a Digital Advanced Readers Copy, in exchange for an honest review.

Dear Rachael Johns,

Last year’s The Other Bridget made my best of list and it was also the book where I first met Winifred (“Fred”) Darling, Bridget’s bestie at the Fremantle library. Fred’s character kind of jumps of the page. She’s unique and funny and no-nonsense. Unlike Bridget who was looking for true love, Fred’s theory of dating is about having fun and not catching feelings. I was curious how she was going to get to a HEA.

The optimism people have about love and relationships never ceases to surprise me. It’s like an aspiring tennis player losing game after game at amateur level, yet still believing they can win Wimbledon.

Some months have passed since the events of The Other Bridget and Bea and Sully are happily living together with their dog, John Brown. After Fred’s out-there first novel was kindly and lovingly critiqued for the trash-fire it was by Bea, Fred has struggled to find more inspiration for fiction. She ended up writing an article “21 Rules for Not Catching Feelings” and out of that came a book deal. But she’s stuck in the early stages of writing and her deadline is looming.

Then, Fred’s mum contacts her to tell her she (Fred’s mum, Tracy) is getting married. Again. This will be husband number 6. Fred has gone through all of the other breakups with her mum and the most recent one nearly broke both of them. She’s naturally suspicious about Paul, an ex from high school who Tracy connected with at their 40-year reunion only a matter of weeks ago. When she finds out that Paul’s first wife died only six months earlier, she’s even more concerned.

Fred’s brother, Waylen, convinces her to go to the wedding celebrations to support their mother – plus, it’s a week-long all expenses paid holiday on historic Norfolk Island in the Pacific. Bea points out that at the very least, she will have opportunity to write more of her book while she’s away. So Fred agrees to attend the wedding and be Tracy’s bridesmaid – but only if she can wear a short red dress.

At the airport in Brisbane (Fred is from Western Australia but Norfolk Island is off the east coast of Australia so she has to fly to Brisbane in Queensland first) she spies a very hot dude and is surprised and mildly disappointed to find out they are soon to be step siblings if the wedding goes ahead. Paul has three children – Juliet, Scarlett and Leo (short for Leopold).

Fred has recently participated in “World’s Greatest Shave” to raise money for cancer research and is rocking the bald/nearly bald look. Fred is tall and thin and model-hot so she has no trouble finding dates. It’s not surprising therefore that Leo gives her the eye at the airport and afterwards. But finding out that they’re going to be related does dampen their enthusiasm for any kind of fling.

It becomes clear early on that both Leo and Fred have concerns about their parents marrying and they decide to team up and hatch plans to show Tracy and Paul they should not get married, at least, not yet.

Among Fred’s “rules” is

13. Limit your time together.

14. No text and in-depth conversation. No daily chats.

and

17. Never see the same person more than once a week.

Of course, she and Leo aren’t dating so the rules don’t apply. Except, their attraction builds and those rules turn out to be very important for not catching feelings. Because feelings are caught. Leo is a believer in love and “the one” – Fred, not so much.

‘Don’t you ever yearn for anything deeper?’ he asks. ‘Humans aren’t animals – we all need connection and friendship, emotional intimacy as well as physical.’

‘Who says we have to get all that from the same person?’ I counter. ‘I have good friends – I’m emotionally intimate with them.’

I don’t want to spoil the rest of the plot so I won’t go into much detail about what happens after Leo and Fred start spending time together and what happens with their plans to stop the wedding. That’s something readers will need to find out for themselves.

Norfolk Island and the various characters who live there are lovingly portrayed, with interesting history and some of the quirks of this singular location included. I enjoyed Scarlett and River and their children, was pleasantly surprised by Juliet and I liked Waylen and his boyfriend, Benji too. Tracy and Paul were also far more than what one might expect from the premise. I already loved Fred and I quickly loved Leo too (which one small exception which I’ll mention later).

The Bad Bridesmaid does follow along from The Other Bridget but it is quite a different book. The Other Bridget had a strong “women’s fiction” element to it as well as the romance between Bea and Sully. It was a long book at nearly 500 pages. The Bad Bridesmaid is much more a straight up contemporary romance and is a shorter read by a couple hundred pages. None of those things are bad but it’s worth mentioning that the reading experience is very different. There is the same humour and charm however and more than a cameo from Bea which I also appreciated very much.

Fred and Leo have a week in Norfolk Island to fall in love and of course, for this to work, readers have to believe Fred will change her deeply and long-held beliefs about relationships. That’s the sticking point for me on this one. I did believe Fred and Leo fell in love. I had no difficulty in believing their attraction and chemistry and in accepting they’d be very good together. But it does come at the expense of an entirely valid philosophy and I was a little disappointed that philosophy was presented as being ultimately wrong rather than just … not right anymore (for example). There were a couple of things Leo said that I felt were throwing too much shade on how Fred had lived her life (borderline or not-so-borderline judgemental in fact) and when Fred accepted the truth of those things I was disappointed. I wanted them together yes and believed they should be – I am a romance reader and romance lover after all and that’s what I was there for, but the author did such a great job of setting Fred up as this amazing, bold and independent woman I couldn’t help feeling something was a little diminished by her leaving that life to be with Leo. Not Fred herself. But… something. Did Fred give up a little too much? Perhaps I needed to see a little more of what she gained to be truly satisfied with the exchange. Perhaps it’s that the HEA-Fred seemed a little too different from No-Catching-Feelings-Fred. Were they the same person? I didn’t quite make the leap I think I was supposed to. Nearly, but not quite. Ultimately, for me, I guess it boils down to that The Bad Bridesmaid mostly but didn’t quite, stick the landing even though, overall it was a very enjoyable read.

Grade: B-

Regards,
Kaetrin

I think Rachael Johns must have had a lot of fun writing The Bad Bridesmaid, which is a wonderful twist on the old Hayley Mills movie, The Parent Trap. It does follow on from Johns’ previous book The Other Bridget, but is comfortbly a stand-alone read in itself. Fred (Winifred) and Leo (Leopold) make a great team as they pair up to prevent the impending nuptials of her mother and his father. Fred thinks her mother is making yet another marriage mistake by taking on husband numbe six, while Leo is concerned that his father is marrying on the rebound after his wife of forty years died just six months earlier. The story mostly takes place on tiny Norfolk Island, which is beautifully depicted along with its quirky residents. I visited there long ago and the settings described throughout the book took me right back. The characters in this book, particularly Fred and Leo, are complex and despite some of the awful things those two plan, I really couldn’t help but love them, especially as I watched them both struggling hard not to fall for each other. There isa lot of humour in this story but also plenty of soul-searchng and emotional moments. It is a reasonably long book, but despite that, I zipped from cover to cover quickly and really enjoyed myself along the way.

We met Winifred Darling, Fred in The Other Bridget Jones, which I loved and now Fred who does not believe in love at all and who is writing a book called 21 Rules For Not Catching Feelings has just been asked to be maid of honour at her mother’s sixth wedding to say she is not happy is beyond belief but when an all expenses trip to Norfolk Island is offered by her soon to be new step father and her mother so badly wants her there she decides that it will be a good break to write over the week, we will see.

Always on the lookout for good looking men Fred spies a very handsome one at the airport and nick names him hot-muso and is shocked to find out when they arrive at the resort that he is going to be her new step-brother, Leo but getting to know him they realise that neither of them are keen on this marriage and set a up “operation Break-up” to stop the wedding at least for the time being, will they succeed?

The only problem is that the more time they spend together creating plans the more time that the feelings neither were looking for grow and OMG is Fred starting to break her 21 rules of catching feelings? Leo and Fred live on opposite sides of the world and both have very different thoughts on love and what it brings could there be a chance that together they can work through Fred’s rules?

I did love this one and Leo he is the best and of course Fred how can you not love Fred, this one made me laugh, smile and sigh as the things that happen on Norfolk Island cause dramas throughout the two families the setting is beautiful and the many characters from each family are wonderful, this is one that I highly recommend, make time for reading because you will not want to put it down after you pick it up.

Thank you Rachael Johns for another brilliant story you never fail to make me smile.

My thanks to Penguin Random House AU and Netgalley for my ARC to read and review.

Winifred Darling mum asks her to be the maid of honour at Tracy’s sixth wedding, she’s shocked and wants to stop her from making another mistake and getting her feelings hurt. Fred likes men and she dates on Tinder and she doesn’t want to develop feelings for any guy or believe in love and finding your soulmate and all that rubbish.

When they arrive on the island where the lovebirds have decided to hold a small and intimate family wedding, Fred’s delighted to discover the groom Paul’s son Leo isn’t happy about the wedding either and they plan ‘Operation Break-Up’ and try to sabotage the lead up to the big day. During this time Fred and Leo get to know each other, and Fred tries to ignore how hot the teacher and musician is and she’s never met a man like Leo before. Fred’s supposed to be writing her debut novel called 21 Rules for Not Catching Feelings and instead she’s either thinking about Leo or trying to keep her hands off him and maybe she’s going crazy due to the lack of sleep.

I received a copy of The Bad Bridesmaid from NetGalley and Penguin Random House Australia in exchange for an honest review. Rachael Johns is the queen of romance and romcom in Australia, she has prefect timing, touch, delivery and I wonder if she’s ever considered being a stand-up comedian?

A story full of wonderful and diverse characters, Fred and her brother Waylen and his partner Benji, Tracy and Paul’s family including his two daughters Scarlett and Juliet, son-in-law's, grandchildren and Leo. I remember Fred from The Other Bridget and her bestie Bree and numerous workmates and members of the Fremantle library.

A narrative about love and rushing to the altar and when is it too soon to remarry? You do consider how the adult children would feel about the situation, and society and most of us do judge anyone who’s been married more than twice. History and secrets, chemistry and longing and for Fred is it too late for her to change her mind about love, the nuptials and Leo? The Bad Bridesmaid is a must read, I highly recommend it if you want to laugh out loud and try not to snort while doing so and five pink stars from me.

The Bad Bridesmaid is a cute fun romcom about a girl (Winifred - Fred for short) who doesn’t believe in love - insert: serial dater with no commitment. In fact, she’s in the process of writing a book, ‘21 Rules for Not Catching Feelings’. Her mother is getting married for the 6th time up on Norfolk Island and, of course, she’s been asked to be the bridesmaid. What could go wrong? In this funny tale ... absolutely everything!

‘... she wants me to be her bridesmaid, or rather her maid of honour.’ ‘Excuse me?’ It’s clear by the expression on Bee’s face that she doesn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Xavier laughs. ‘You’d make a very bad bridesmaid.’

There is a cast of sensational characters from immediate family to step family and the residents of Norfolk Island. Fred and her soon to be step brother (insert gorgeous man) team up for ‘Operation Break Up’ in an attempt to prevent their respective parents from making a terrible mistake. This is of course where everything starts to go pear shaped but very amusingly so. I must also add here that this is a huge plug for travelling to Norfolk Island with loads of interesting information.

‘It’s not about romance,’ I tell him. ‘It’s a reminder that I’m all I need. That loving yourself is the most important thing you can do.’

If you love great rom-coms with quirky characters, laugh out loud moments in what can only be described as the wedding drama to end them all then be sure to read Rachael’s new book. It is in some ways a sequel to her smash hit, The Other Bridget, however, it can be read as a standalone. There is a small catchup with some much loved characters and how their lives are going (I’m talking about you Bee and Sully) and an epilogue that will bring a huge smile to readers faces.

‘... love isn’t logical. The heart wants what the heart wants.’




This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

The best laugh out loud moments I've had in so long while reading this book! What an absolute gem! 💎 A reverse parent trap situation that was done perfectly 👌 (Have you ever watched The Parent Trap movie? Soo good!) and who doesn't love a friends to lovers trope right?!

I also loved the setting on Norfolk Island, the landscape and the people and have now added it to my bucket list of places to visit!

Winifred (Fred) and Leo are set out to make sure their parents do not get married!

Fred is a serial dater, she knows better than to fall in love and is in the midst of writing a book " 21 Rules to Not Catching Feelings"

Leo, son of the groom (a hot muso son of the groom!) is dead against his dad getting married but what can he do about it?

Fred meet Leo....Leo, Fred... together, they form "Operation Break-Up" but... and there is always a but with friends to lovers right?! What happens when unexpected feelings start to get in the way... things just get more complicated.

Will Fred stay strong to her rules or will she find herself reconsidering everything she stands by when it comes to matters of the heart ❤️

I requested The Bad Bridesmaid by Rachael Johns as soon as I'd finished reading her 2024 release, The Other Bridget, which I read belatedly after hearing Rachael talk about it at a local author visit to my little seaside town. I tend not to read romance novels unless it's romantic suspense but was a huge fan of Bridget Jones's Diary (the book) and loved that Bridget Jones (the librarian) was an avid reader and constantly quoted books of all genres. The Bad Bridesmaid is a loose sequel to The Other Bridget, featuring one of the more endearing characters, Fred (aka Winifred) - fellow librarian and wannabe writer.

I really liked Fred in The Other Bridget and worried she came off as a bit arrogant and snarky when we first meet her here, but it's probably more reflective of her personality. She's confident in her looks and sexuality and doesn't really seem to carry any baggage relating to self-worth - with which many of us grapple. She believes she's deserving of love, she just doesn't believe in it or that it lasts.

Again I found this book to be akin to a comfort read. I like that romance novels are (inherently) predictable and that's not in a bad way. You know what you're going to get and it's akin to a promise from the author. (Which was part of the theme of The Other Bridget.) So this felt like slipping into a warm and familiar bed. Or bath, in my case.

Again Johns (switching to surname now we're down to reviewing business) gives us the types of characters we know and love without them falling into cliches. "Ah yes, the workaholic." "Ah yes, the larger-than-life gay boyfriend." And so forth. They all work well and I loved the 'journey' (sorry!) Johns takes Fred on - particularly from her disdain and horror at the behaviour of her (potential) step-nieces - to begrudgingly being won over without sacrificing her personality in any way. In fact, there is (of course) a lesson there about judging too quickly and tolerating vs accepting.

We learn a bit more about Fred's cynicism around love and relationships, which hasn't solely evolved by watching her mother's come and go, but we also discover more about Fred's mother's relationships and what she shared (or didn't) with her children. There is however a sense that it IS a case of right person at the right time, rather than Fred's values suddenly changing. It does take the right person to have her weigh up her choices and values.

I enjoyed this so much more than I expected and part of that is the characters and a mix of their likeability and realness, thanks to Johns's talent with dialogue and storytelling. The other thing that surprised me was that I got completely wrapped up in the non-romance plot. Unsurprisingly - other than Leo and Fred trying to break their parents up Parent Trap-style - wedding plans do not go as expected and I found myself racing through pages, seriously invested in how things were going to be resolved and cheeks beaming as people rallied. It's set on Norfolk Island and Johns inflects a lot of local flavour which had me intrigued. 

As an aside, I was slightly horrified that Fred's mother (Tracey) is the same age (57) I recently turned - though I didn't feel mature enough to start dating until I was in my 30s - so... I'm only five marriages (or is that six? #nospoilers) behind.

4.5 stars

The Bad Bridesmaid by Rachael Johns.

I absolutely jumped at the opportunity to read this book on Netgalley.

I really enjoyed this rom-com. If you've read The Other Bridget you would have met our fiery main character before - Winifred or just Fred for short. Fred is not happy that her mother is tying the knot for the sixth time! Yes, her sixth time. They travel to Norfolk Island so both families can meet and get to know each other. This is when Fred and Leo hatch a plan to try and stop the wedding.

The Bad Bridesmaid is a well written rom-com mixed with some spice and one i can't wait to purchase for my bookshelf. I really enjoyed that the characters in book one made a cameo in book two. I especially loved all the bookish references in this book. I'm looking forward to reading more of Rachael's books in the future.

Thank you Penguin Random House Australia and Netgalley for my gifted copy for my honest book review.

I am a huge fan of Rachael Johns' books and this one did not disappoint. Fred (short for Winifred) is a serial dater and the non-committal type. She's writing a book called 21 Rules for Not Catching Feelings... so you can imagine how she feels when she is asked to be the maid of honour at her mother’s sixth wedding... Fred is determined not to let it go ahead.
Set on the beautiful Norfolk Island, Fred meets her soon to be step family and discovers her step brother is a hot muso who feels the same way about the wedding. Together, they begin ‘Operation Break-Up’. As Fred and Leo spend more time together, unexpected feelings start to complicate things.
Wonderful romcom style story which also encapsulates the beauty of Norfolk Island intertwined with family dramas, relationships and fun!
Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin books for the opportunity to read and review this book!

The Bad Bridesmaid is Fred! She is just not happy with her mother getting married for about the sixth time. She doesn't want to have to pick up the pieces when it all falls apart and ends in another divorce.

Fred herself is an anti romantic. She has strict rules for dating and relating. Some of them are good but really some of them are a bit twisted. The reason being Fred herself is a bit twisted truth be said. She just doesn't believe in romance. It hasn't worked for her mother, she herself had a bad experience in high school, plus her mother was not quite there for her growing up and the only step father she liked has of course moved on. Poor Fred.

She is the opposite of her friend Bridget Jones ( her story was last year and I loved it). So she ends up on Norfolk Island where her mother's wedding is to take place. There she teams up with Leo the son of the groom to be. Fred and Leo put their heads together and make great efforts to prevent the marriage going ahead. Hence the title of this book.

Did I like Fred? Well for a long time not really, she was a drop them kinda person if any man got serious about her. However as time went by and various events took place, I liked how Fred grew as a person and changed up some of her beliefs and values. Leo I liked from the beginning, he has standards, is talented and good looking. He was all for connection and emotional intimacy as the way life should go.

The setting is very interesting -Norfolk Island, the characters are real and of course romance wins through. A delightful and  fun filled story. And could it just be possible Fred, the bad bridesmaid, could become a really good bridesmaid.

This novel was the second in this series of characters that work in the same library. This one was about Fred, who is the best friend of Bridget, the subject of the first novel in this series,The Other Bridget. This seems to be a new genre, light romance, for Rachael Johns. This novel is definitely not as good as the first one, which I thought was pretty good. In this one, Fred’s mum oh getting married for the sixth time on Norfolk Island. Fred doesn’t approve, but she’s going anyway to be maid of honour. There she meets her new step father’s family. This is a quick easy read. It’s not bad if you’re looking for a quick summer read. Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Books Australia for an ARC of this novel.

I loved this book!
I'm a sucker for a romance based around a wedding, anyone who knows me knows I LOVE weddings so this was right up my alley. The setting was absolutely perfect and it's definitely made me want to visit Norfolk Island one day!
This book is full of loveable characters, funny conversations and even a couple misty eye moments. Unfortunately, for me, the final chapter felt unnecessary and, in my opinion, had a couple uncharacteristic choices for the main character.
Other than that small blip at the end, I REALLY enjoyed this book and highly recommend it to anyone looking for their next romance read

This book had me laughing loudly several times as i read! Rachael writes so well, and this is cleverly told as well as being a cute and funny romance. I also loved the added element of getting to learn more about Norfolk Island. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for a review.

I absolutely loved every bit of it, another great from Rachael Johns.

It was totally a delightful and entertaining romantic comedy. Highly recommend for the lovers of rom-com genre. Always love a Rachael John’s’ book.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House Australia for the DRC.

Rachael Johns has created a piece of cliterature mastery with The Bad Bridesmaid.

Winifred or Fred as she likes to be called is a free spirited sexually open woman who has landed a writing deal to write an empowering dating book called 21 Rules for Not Catching Feelings. Can Fred live with her 21 rules?

Leopold or Leo as he likes to be called, is more of a reserved wanting to get to get to know you before sleeping with someone. It is important to note that he plays the Ukulele and sings and has a six pack.

Their paths cross when Fred’s mother, and Leo’s dad bring the families together for their destination wedding.
Fred and Leo, believe they are rushing into the marriage and devise plans on breaking them up. Their scheming becomes complicated once Fred and Leo realise, they have strong feelings for one another and the marriage of their parents would make things icky, taboo, stepsiblings, but they also must overcome the values that they both hold about sex. With all their scheming to end the wedding, natural disaster has a way of bringing the importance of love to light.

The chemistry between Fred and Leo is very strong with these two. But their characters are more than just a randy pair thrown together on an island. It is about developing feelings especially for Fred, who has been hiding teen trauma and Leo needing to let go to go forward.

This is a great book that had me laughing and invested in Winifred emotional journey to the very end. This is an emotional journey between Australia and England, and a few trigger topics are touched upon. It is a feel good rom-com, cliterature book and one that I will be reading again.

The Bad Bridesmaid is such a good read. I connected with Fred from the very first page and loved the journey she went on... not just to Norfolk Island, but her own personal one.
There's plenty of laugh out loud moments, but it has depth as well, as you discover the reasons why Fred doesnt believe in love, and why her mum is heading down the aisle for the sixth time.
I loved seeing Norfolk Island through Fred's eyes... and I also loved seeing Leo through Fred's eyes. Their banter was fun and really showed the chemistry between them.
There's references to The Other Bridget but you can read this as a stand alone.

How much fun is a destination wedding filled with lots of drama, dilemmas and loads of love!

The super sassy Fred heads to her mums sixth wedding and she’s not impressed at all! During the week of the wedding, Fred meets her new step father’s children and grandchildren. Spunky Leo catches her eye, and as they get to know each other, they both agree they need to stop this wedding!

These two are super cute together, loved their instant connection and conversations about their past. As we all know, Fred doesn’t get attached so it’s interesting to see how this goes! I enjoyed the families getting to know each other, and the locals all helping out too.

I also loved learning more about Norfolk Island as well, as it’s a place I’d love to visit one day.

I don’t want to say too much, but my goodness so many things happen in the lead up to this wedding! It’s one crazy ride that’s for sure!

This was a super fun, light and entertaining rom com, with a sprinkle of spice!

Thank you to the team @penguinbooksaus and @netgalley for sending me this early copy in exchange for an honest review.

📚✨ THE BAD BRIDESMAID is a total delight! I devoured this book in just a couple of days, and I can’t stop thinking about it. If you're a fan of rom-coms, quirky characters, and the ultimate wedding drama, this is for you! 💍🎉

Meet Winifred “Fred” Darling, a serial dater who's not here for her mother’s sixth wedding. As the maid of honour (and the author of 21 Rules for Not Catching Feelings), Fred’s determined to stop it. Enter Leo, the groom’s hot muso son, and together they hatch Operation Break-Up to prevent what they believe is a catastrophe in the making. But as Fred and Leo spend more time together, their plan starts to unravel in the sweetest way... 🥰

What I absolutely loved about this book:

* Fred is such a fun, bold, and unapologetically herself character. Her sass, wit, and no-nonsense attitude had me laughing out loud. I couldn’t get enough of her!
* Leo is swoon-worthy in a way that is often reverse to typical rom-com heroes. He’s the perfect match for Fred’s chaotic energy, and their chemistry is off-the-charts 🔥
* The setting of Norfolk Island is the perfect backdrop for this madcap wedding adventure. If anything, this book made me want to book a plane ticket there ASAP! ✈️🌴
* The fun references to The Other Bridget (yes, those characters make a cameo) added a sweet touch for long-time fans of Rachael’s books.

This novel is a refreshing, feel-good read packed with humour, drama, and, of course, love. 💖 I loved the way Rachael weaved a love story that not only captured the magic and mayhem of weddings but also explored family dynamics, personal growth, and what happens when you start breaking your own rules.

If you love rom-coms with a cheeky twist, a dash of family drama, and an adorable friends-to-lovers journey, you won’t want to miss The Bad Bridesmaid. Rachael Johns has done it again—another fabulous read that kept me smiling from start to finish! 🥂📖