It took me a little while to get into this book, I think it just seemed slow to get going. The story is a family drama told from four different POV’s and I think this contributed to me taking a while to move the story forward in my head, I was trying to keep up with the characters. The family is dysfunctional and estranged but they seem to be hopeful that this joyous occasion may bring everyone back together. Then again maybe not. As always with this family, everything has been intricately orchestrated and planned, but soon secrets and tensions will rear their ugly heads, and this may not be the happy event everyone is hoping for, there are lots of secrets, a robbery and murder attempt and some social media elements that all contribute to this mystery and the family drama. The book moved along at a decent enough pace and after my initial concerns I did get into the story but to me it was just ok.

Thank you to Netgalley for the audio arc to preview.

Thank you so much for this ARC!
I had a really hard time with this book. I couldn’t relate to any of the characters and had a difficult time getting into the story.

This book was amazing, it’s not necessarily what I would normally pick up but it definitely became my cup of tea! I listened to the audiobook and the narration was on point. The twists and turns were inspiring. The small town drama and tension. I loved all the surprises definitely things I never saw coming. I can’t wait to get a physical copy of this book and devour it again.

It has been one year since the small town of Blue Compass was devastated by Hurricane Cary and Ruth Bancroft hopes to bring some attention to the town with what could be her wedding of the year. Ruth's sister is promoting everything she can on social media and Ruth is working with local vendors to make the wedding as spectacular as her family expects it to be, even if it isn't what she really wants. Included on the guest list is her wealthy mother with high expectations and her estranged father who left them all behind when Ruth was a child. Not to mention there have been a series of break ins, culminating in an expensive piece of jewelry going missing. Everything comes to a head on the night of the rehearsal dinner when Ruth follows a shadowy figure onto the pier, hears gunshots, and then discovers one of her guests is missing.

Unfortunately, this book didn't really do it for me. I listened to the audiobook, so I was able to get through it. The narrator did an ok job, but some of the voices she put on were a bit obnoxious and the accents were inconsistent, which was a bit confusing. My main issue was that it took way too long for anything to happen and there were too many characters for a story of this length. The chapters were told in alternating perspectives, which was fine, but it always seemed to focus on their internal monologues rather than any actual investigating, even when it was the sheriff. Not only that, but the characters all seemed to be making similarly ridiculous decisions that just didn't make any sense. Then there were characters who were mentioned once or twice and then just disappeared, who probably could've been cut from the story. I did like the social media element to this story, but this was another thread that sort of went nowhere. Those who enjoy stories about dysfunctional families might also enjoy this one.

One year after the hurricane Ruth is getting married. She is hoping this wedding will help to rebuild a community and her family. At the rehearsal dinner of the guests goes missing, and it seems that everyone in the family is hiding something.

Told in multiple POVs, but this didn’t really keep my attention. I did the audiobook and found myself not focusing on the story in several parts.

Thank you #NetGalley for the complimentary copy of #TheGoodBride in exchange for an honest review.

I actually really enjoyed the audiobook for this one. The story however was a little slow for my liking. I also think the secrets weren't as exciting as I was expecting. The sisters reminded me of the Kardashians for some reason and so the whole time listening, that's what I was thinking. The writing was well done and I think people will enjoy this one.

I want to express my gratitude to Netgally for providing an ARC copy of this book. However, I must share that it became a DNF for me. I made it through roughly half, but I struggled to engage with the story.

For once I found a story that I enjoyed however not the audiobook. Was eager to know what was happening next to the characters, everyone's secrets, however was finding myself finding any excuse to stop the audiobook and zoning off mentally during the story getting bored with the narrator.

I absolutely flew through this. It was so interesting and I loved the popcorn twists and turns. My only issues was having so many characters to follow along with, it got confusing at times to differentiate who was who with what backstory.

Thank you to NetGalley, Jen Marie Wiggins, and Dreamscape Media for the audiobook. Narrated by Marni Penning, it's an engaging listen full of unexpected twists. The story delves into deep family secrets and childhood trauma, offering a captivating family drama with plenty of surprises.

The Good Bride by Jen Marie Wiggins, since writing this review on the Kindle version of a good bride, I have since listen to the audiobook and sadly only got halfway through. I did not like the narrators seductive tone to her reading although she does have a nice voice I think if Marni penning would read normally it would’ve been much better so what I’m saying is I definitely prefer the Kindle version. The following is my review on the story itself. A hurricane has devastated blue compass Florida so when Ruth and Tayo decide they’re getting married her mother and Instagram influencer sister Sophie, convince them to do it at their summer home in blue compass. Charlotte, Joe, Sophie, and Ruth make up the Bancroft family a.k.a. the richest residence in blue compass. It’s so having their wedding there after such a devastation and locally sourcing everything will make it even bigger than it would’ve been. Ruth would be happy running off to get married with the love of her life, but she acquiesces and plans to have it in the devastated panhandle. soon strange things start to happen the expensive necklace. Ruth was going to wear gets stolen, her and Sophie start getting strange and threatening messages, her dad who has been sober a year goes missing and presume dead and the black wedding coordinator/dressmaker is accused of ruining the wedding and possibly stealing the necklace. Before the book is over, everyone’s secrets will come out, and I thought this made for such an interesting read. I love to read about rich people and I’m glad I am not one of those who is jealous of the rich or anyone for that matter because I totally enjoy living in their world for the time I am able thanks to stories like this. there’s so much more to this book than what I put in my review and wish I could’ve put more about Kayla the wedding coordinator/dressmaker her dad Marcus the sheriff the balding mayor that Charlotte started dating how much I love Tayo, but you’ll have to read the book to learn for yourself this is a great book with lots of craziness secrets, and drama that I definitely recommend.#NetGalley, #CrookedLaneBooks, #JenMarieWiggins, #TheGoodBride,

A fast paced whodunnit centered around a wedding. It took awhile for me to get into as so many characters were all introduced quickly. I found it hard to follow who was who. The ending did end with an unexpected turn.

DNF

I tried and tried with this one but either found myself unable to follow or very bored.

Thanks nstgalley for my ALC.

Jen Marie Wiggins delivers a gripping tale of secrets, lies, and high-stakes drama in The Good Bride. This fast-paced novel centers on Ruth, a woman determined to marry the love of her life. But as her family enters the picture, their arrival unravels a web of hidden truths, setting the stage for chaos, betrayal, and even murder.

From the very first chapter, Wiggins grabs the reader’s attention and doesn’t let go. The story moves at a breakneck pace, each twist and revelation drawing you deeper into the tangled relationships and escalating tension. The family drama is layered and captivating, giving the characters depth while keeping the reader guessing about their motives and secrets.

Wiggins masterfully balances the interpersonal conflicts with a mounting sense of suspense. The stakes rise with every page, making it nearly impossible to put the book down. The climax is as shocking as it is satisfying, tying together the threads of mystery and drama with precision.

For readers who love stories packed with intrigue, emotional intensity, and unexpected twists, The Good Bride is a must-read. It’s a thrilling, binge-worthy tale that will keep you hooked until the very last page.

I thought the narrator did a great job with this book, but i absolutely could not get into the story. I started with the physical book, and thought the audio would help. Unfortunately, it did not.
There were too many characters for me, and they were all immediately introduced by long full names, which made it hard to internalize who was who.
It kept feeling like it was jumping around, and I kept having to rewind to see what I missed because I couldn’t keep track of what was happening.
The book had an interesting premise, and maybe others will enjoy it, but overall, it was not for me.

I enjoyed this book. I started as soon as it popped into my Netgalley app and finished the same time the next day.
It reminded me of the television show Desperate Housewives. It was not a mystery/thriller but more like a mystery/whodunnit. The ending was definitely not expected at all and in a good and surprising way.
The narrator gave it chic-lit vibes. I think she was a bit too animated considering the subject matter but did an excellent job with the actual narrating.
I would probably casually mention it to friends but wouldn't go out of my way to do so.
3 1/2:⭐

This audiobook, in my opinion, was not a thriller or mystery. It was more of a drama. The characters were all horrible and not relatable, maybe that was the point?

This book took foreverrr to get to something interesting. I found myself not paying attention as it was going.

The narrator was great, the different voices were perfect. I listened at 1.75x.

All in all, this audiobook wasn’t for me.

You know the phrase ‘Hot Mess’ ???
Well, I feel like EVERYONE in this book could be described that way!! 😮

Ruth and Teo are getting married. She’s from a well-to-do family. Her wedding is being touted as the wedding of the century, and her Mom plans to keep it that way…

BUT…there are SECRETS!
Lots of secrets!
Secrets in places where there shouldn’t be ANY!!

One being her father, who disappeared many moons ago…and now returned to their lives to walk her down the aisle….
Wait!! What???????

Lots of crazy. Lots of small town vibes. Lots more crazy!

Thank God she has SOME family and friends who appear to be somewhat normal…but are they really?? 🫣🤪

As the wedding day approaches, things begin falling apart.
Can the wedding be saved?

Also, the wedding is taking place about a year after a tremendous storm took out much of the town…and it remains in shambles. The hope is that the wedding will shine some light on the town to get some action going for repairs…

3 1/2 ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 for me, but rounding down to 3, as I really couldn’t connect with ANY of the characters! But, I think that was the whole idea 💡….

#TheGoodBride by #JenMarieWiggins and narrated nicely by #MarniPenning.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #DreamscapeMedia for an ARC of the audiobook which I received today!! It was released yesterday, 12.10.24, so you should be able to find it on shelves now.

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Ruth Bancroft is getting married a year after a hurricane that left a fishing village on the Gulf Coast torn apart, in a bid to bring much-needed funding and vitality back to the area. This wedding is meticulously planned and curated and should be the perfect day, but things quickly spiral out of control when gunshots are heard and a prominent guest goes missing.

I enjoyed The Good Bride, but I felt that it was more of a drama than a true thriller or mystery. This is definitely a slow burn story with more attention given to characters and drama than action and big twists and turns. It is certainly character-driven and the story is told through multiple POVs that help to advance the character development and drama. I enjoyed the story overall, but I had trouble getting into this book for a while. I don’t mind an occasional slow-burn book, but this felt a little too slow for me. Others may enjoy that aspect, but it just wasn’t my cup of tea.

Thank you Dreamscape Media for providing this audiobook for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Thank you @booksparks @librofm @dreamscape_media for a gifted copy/ALC!

✨ 𝙈𝙮 𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 ✨
This was my fourth read for as an ambassador for the 𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌𝑺𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒌𝒔 𝑭𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝑹𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒆 and it was a suspenseful mystery leading up to a wedding week gone wrong!

Ruth Bancroft has returned to her small hometown to have her wedding, which is about a year after a devastating hurricane swept through the area. Ruth is a simple bride trying to balance her sisters and mother’s more demanding antics leading up to the wedding. Ruth just wants to get married and live HEA!

Ruth’s semi-estranged father shows up, who has a past of not being there for anyone. Pretty soon an expensive piece of jewelry goes missing and it throws everyone into chaos. We get introduced to the sheriff Marcus’s POV and his daughter, who is the wedding planner. Being a small town, everyone already knows each other, and the dynamics of rich vs poor/struggling gets thrown into play in the story too.

I was a little lost on some of the dynamics and twists of the story, with there being so many people’s stories to keep track of. It made the story feel more like family drama with a slight bit of mystery stirred in. I would have liked a bit more of the mystery added into it!

🎧 𝙉𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 🎧
Marni Penning did a great job narrating this multiple POV story. She added accents during the dialogue which helped distinguish between the characters speaking. She was easy to understand while listening to the story too!

✨ 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚:
💍 Slow-Burn Mystery
💍 Complicated Family Dynamics
💍 Florida Small Town Wedding
💍 Missing Wedding Guest