A very cute and fun romcom featuring not one wedding, but five! When friends marry, they test the relationships they have with their best friends by asking them to be the bridesmaid or maid of honour. And in true Bridezilla style, these brides do not disappoint. But you can't tell them they are being horrible can you? So you start a blog, venting and chatting and letting it all out - anonymously off course! Except things don't always go to plan and anonymous is not always as anonymous as we would like.

For the Love of Friends by Sara Goodman Confino is a quick and easy read that falls into chick lit category in the best way for me.

It is to do with a weddings and a girl who is on a path of self discovery.
I really liked the main heroine and all the trials and tribulations she goes through in this book.
Characters are likable and funny. There is a lot of humor and great banter.
The style of writing is charming, the story flows and it is easy to read.
My main objection is that the plot was not very novel and truthfully very predictable.
It is a good and charming read.

This is a really funny romance with a perfect ending.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own

As someone who was asked to be in *THREE* weddings in 2021, this book hit home for me! Lily was asked to be in five different weddings, with five extremely different brides. What’s the worst that could happen?

What I loved:
✨ The writing was so good. The characters were well described and felt real. The chemistry and dialogue between the characters was quirky and witty, the banter was perfect; nothing was forced.
✨There was a deeper sense of missing identity under the sarcastic veneer of our main character, Lily, and the impending implosion of her life was a slow and steady build as the story progressed. I couldn’t put it down. I knew something was going to blow up, but wasn’t quite sure how. This kept me turning pages well into the early hours of the morning when I should have been sleeping.
✨One of the five brides, hopefully not Caryn, will be relatable to anyone who has been a bridesmaid or maid of honor for a friend or family member. If Caryn is relatable, I’d love to hear about it.

What I didn’t love:
✨Some of the actions of the characters, namely Caroline, felt a little far fetched for an adult, but this didn’t detract from the story.

My favorite line:
“That, or engagements are contagious. Like the flu. If you don’t wash your hands a lot, you might wind up sneezing and wearing a diamond. I don’t pretend to understand it.”

For the Love of Friends is the story of Lily Weiss, a thirty-two-year-old woman who is unmarried, working a steady but unfulfilling job, and (apparently) destined to live the bridesmaid life. Her three best friends, from different parts of her life, are all getting married and, in the ultimate indignity, so are her two younger siblings. Lily loves all of these people, so of course she agrees.

But she doesn’t quite account for all of the negatives of being a bridesmaid once, let alone five times. Her every physical flaw (including her weight, her height, her bra size, and even her hair curl and color!) is perpetually on display and up for commentary as she tries on dress after dress. Her finances, while solid, don’t account for the destination weddings—and bridal showers!—that some of her wealthier friends expect. And she’s lonely. As she watches those she loves most start new lives, she feels left behind.

So, she makes a decision and begins a blog, Bridesmania, to let out all of her ire and heartache. She vents about the money she has to spend. She rages about her friends’ unreasonable expectations. She overshares about her sister being spoiled and too young for marriage. But she’s doing it anonymously, so it’s okay, right?

Of course, I knew from the beginning that the blog wouldn’t stay anonymous, so though there’s a lot of humor in this book—the parts of weddings that can be bad in the moment are almost always funny in hindsight—I also felt a sense of dread, waiting for everyone (including Lily’s grandma) to read exactly what she had written about them, which is often scathing to the extreme.

There is a romantic element to the book, too, as Lily befriends a groomsman in one friend’s weddings and begins to have stronger feelings for him. But since the novel began with Lily waking from a one-night stand with a groomsman (though she’s not sure which one . . . it’s a long story), she feels unable to search for love herself even while she’s supporting all of her friends’ happily ever afters.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. While there are some predictable elements, Sarah Goodman Confino does a great job shading those moments, adding depth and letting me as a reader feel Lily’s outrage and hurt and shame. I also liked Lily so much: she’s definitely a flawed character who makes some (REALLY!) bad decisions, but she’s also someone who is constantly striving to do better, someone who admits her mistakes, reflects, and seeks improvement. This is Confino’s debut novel, so I’ll be looking for more from this author.

This was a quick and fun read, though I do have a few gripes. If I had a dollar for every time a 24-year-old was called a baby who had no business getting married because she lived with her parents, I could pay off my student loans. It was obnoxious. And I have to say this is one of the most unlikable main characters I’ve read in a while—truly what a nightmare of a person. I would have liked more blog posts in the book since the whole conflict centered around the blog—why would you leave those out? I can’t decide if this is fair satire about ridiculous weddings or a book about a horribly bitter and jealous person who is self-centered and mean and has no idea how to tactfully say “no” like an adult. Maybe both? The writing itself was good but these characters made me crazy. Overall, I would recommend it to people who enjoyed “Hey, Ladies!” and don’t mind unlikable characters.

My thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an advance reader’s copy.

This is a really funny romance with a perfect ending. It’s got all the makings of a classic beach read- great plot, over the top characters, and a heroine who makes mistakes but knows she’s got to own up for her errors in judgment. I enjoyed it and read the book in one sitting! 4 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

As a 32 year old perpetually single gal with no dating prospects and lots of weddings to attend myself, I am HERE for this book! I laughed out loud at Lily's snarky Bridesmania blog (totally would read that if it existed!) and swooned over her budding flirtation with Alex. The writing flowed smoothly and kept my attention as I devoured the entire book. I found myself rolling my eyes in jest as I related to Lily's wedding drama (been there, done that as grandma's flight companion!), but also loved her contrition and her maid of honor speech at Megan's wedding. 

Remember everyone- this book is FICTION, so Lily's mean spirited comments didn't happen IRL. Still hilarious for anyone who has ever dealt with a bridezilla (or friends in general!). 

Also, as a Maryland girl myself, I appreciated the references to Baltimore and a crab cake salad (but how sacrilegious to throw it out!!)!

3.5 ⭐️

Lily is a thirty something perpetually single mother who has been asked to be a bridesmaid in five different weddings ranging from siblings to close friends to coworkers. Overwhelmed by the brides and bored at work, Lily starts an anonymous wedding blog to vent about her experiences and to share funny moments from each of the weddings.

I liked Lily’s character for the most part, but sometimes felt like she was a little too self centered and mean spirited. Overall I really enjoyed For the Love of Friends and thought it was a pretty good book, and is definitely something I would recommend for those looking for a quick read.

This book is easily a 5-star read! A story about Lily, a wonderful friend who is a bridesmaid in 5 of her friends’ and close family members’ weddings who totally rises to the occasion (with the help of alcohol and a blog to let it all out on) of fantastic bridesmaid who tries her best to deal with the high financial costs, crazy requests, and everything in between that’s asked of her while also finding her own sweet romance. Lily is relatable, hilarious, loving and just a fun protagonist to follow along with. I’d definitely recommend Sara Goodman Confino’s For the Love of Friends to anyone looking for a fun, heart warming read,

This is the perfect light summer read! A fun rom com book with an interesting main character that you instantly love. I enjoyed all the weddings! I will definitely read more by this author.

For the Love of Friends, is a very entertaining summer read that goes through one friend’s journey in being in five weddings held in May and June. Although it was very fun, it was an interesting reminder of the vast monetary differences between the average bridesmaid and the average groomsman. Although not every bride has the same wedding events (bridal shower, bachelorette party, etc.), it is still a huge financial commitment. Even just spending $100 on a dress is a lot for some people, so, for me, it was an additional reminder that being a bridesmaid/maid of honor/matron of honor can be a stressful burden on those that struggle financially. For 2021 alone, I was asked to be in three weddings and I declined them all (I will still attend as a guest) for the finances alone. Sure, some brides may be budget conscious, but the costs do add up and I love to support them by attending without stressing myself out with money. The main character in this story takes a different approach, where she said yes to all the weddings and I loved reading her experience.

Lily Weiss is a 32-year-old Communications Director at a science institution. She is asked to be a bridesmaid/maid of honor by five separate individuals almost back to back with the weddings taking place in May and June the following year. The first bride is her coworker and “work best friend,” Caryn. The second is her university roommate and friend, Sharon. The third is her current best friend, Megan. The fourth is her younger brother’s fiancé, Madison, and the final is her younger sister, Amy. Additional to the crazy schedule she will have with all the weddings, Lily is at a crossroads with her life and career. Lily finds herself bored at her job and wishes to have a different career relating to her degree in journalism. She is still single after some past failed relationships and is unsure if she will ever find love again. Her and her mother have a rocky relationship as Lily thinks that her mother puts too much pressure on her while giving her younger siblings a pass with any decisions.

I went back and forth about Lily because she both came across as selfish and selfless. It was an interesting thought experiment for me as a reader as her character really went back and forth, as the story progressed. I have been in six previous weddings before I decided no more, so at times it was difficult to comprehend some of Lily’s decisions and deliveries, as they were not the same way that I would have handled them. However, that was the joy of the character as it was a new perspective on some of the exact situations that I have experienced. Luckily, I did not go through everything this character experienced. She was still a very humorous character and very relatable as she was just trying to do the best for everyone and not fracture any of the relationships.

To help Lily cope with the craziness from all the weddings, she decides to write a blog as an anonymous author. I think the one thing I did not comprehend is why Lily just wrote about her experiences on the blog almost verbatim with only omitting names. To me, it did not make any sense why she would explicitly say how she was connected to each bride rather than keep it either vague, omitted, or slightly altered. The result would have been the same, but then it would seem as obvious about who she was talking about if she was discovered. Each blog post was very entertaining and read in a very relatable manner. I loved how the author altered her own style to reflect the character’s style in the blog post writing.

Overall, some of the situations with the different brides may have been exaggerated versions, but most of them rang true, including the specifics for hair and nails. The story has a nice balance of the weddings and Lily’s life while also mixing in some slow-burn romance. I also love Lily’s interaction with each bride and the other side characters as she was closer to some than others were, which reflects real life. It was a nice easy read and I enjoyed the pacing of the story. This was a very fun story and I would happily read more from this author!

**I give a special thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, Lake Union Publishing, for the opportunity to read this enjoyable novel. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.**

What a great beach/summer read! I couldn’t put it down. Lily is someone I could see being friends with and can see some of her characteristics in me. The book was definitely funny, but also makes you sit back and think about how you really do need to put yourself in other people’s shoes and look at things from their perspective. A must read if you want some good laughs…especially if you’ve been in a wedding or 5.

This book was awesome!! The main character was definitely a busybody!!!! She’s just the busybody you love to hate! It was fast-paced! I really wanted her to snap on Sharon and the rest of the brides who wanted her to do their dirty work. A little too much on the constant weight conversations!

This is a delightful easy summer read. Lily Weiss is thirty-two, single and much to her mothers disappointment has no marital prospects. On the flip side it seems everyone around her has found love and are getting engaged. Lily is thrilled for them all and as any good friend/sister would she happily agrees to be a bridesmaid in all five weddings. Yup, you read that correctly, Lily is in 5 weddings all in just over a months time span.

We start out being introduced to Lily after she wakes up with an instant feeling of regret in a hotel bed next to a mystery man who happens to be a groomsman in one of the weddings. This is the first of many hurdles she must overcome in order to see all 5 brides to the alter. Knowing it would only complicate matters she decides not to find out the mystery mans identity.

Being in 5 weddings is understandably a lot of work and a large time commitment. As such the weddings take up a lot of the storyline of the book. There are several key supporting characters ranging from over controlling and out of touch bridesmaids to Lily's grandmother who is living her best life. This gives way to some truly laugh-out-loud moments.

I thought the author did a remarkable job creating five different wedding scenarios, each with its own complications. We see Lily struggling to cope not only with the time commitment of being in five weddings but also the financial strain that comes with it. Some brides are easy going and others give into the pressure of creating the perfect wedding no matter the cost.

For The Love of Friends is addictive (I read the majority in just one sitting), entertaining, heartwarming and hilarious. This is the debut novel from author Sara Goodman Confino and throughout the book she brilliantly writes about bridal drama, friendship, family relationships and expectations. As one would expect Lily tries her best to make sure every bride is happy with how their wedding is coming together while trying to balance her work, chequebook and of course her own love life. Lily doesn't always make the best decisions and at times have to own up to her mistakes. The question is, will Lily herself find her Mr Right or will the mystery man from chapter 1 get in the way?

I loved this book! It was such a great summer read and was so relatable. Lily is a great character the book made me laugh out loud multiple times This is a perfect romcom esque book and I absolutely devoured it. Lily is in FIVE weddings in 6 weeks and is struggling to balance all the ridiculous asks, costs, personalities and more of each of the weddings. Plus it doesn't help that 2 of the weddings are for her younger siblings - which doesn't make Lily feel great as a 30 something single in DC. I loved all the different relationships throughout the book - the childhood best friend, college roommate, work best friend, sister and future sister-in-law. All those relationships have their own dynamics and it was fun watching Lily naviagate them all.

Would definitely reccomend this book if you're looking for a beach-read.

I really enjoyed this cute RomCom about a single 30-something that finds her self in 5 weddings! From being the Maid of Honor in her bff's wedding to the reluctant bridesmaid in her brother's wedding, she has the spectrum covered. There were so many characters, but it was easy to keep up with all of them and laugh/snicker/roll eyes at all of the ridiculous situations she finds herself in for each of these brides. The writing style was smooth and easy to follow. For a quick and humorous read, this is a perfect book. Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for a digital arc of this title.

For the Love of Friends is a typical summer read- everybody knows that summer the best season for weddings and everybody knows it's impossible to survive being a bridesmaid in five weddings over two months without some major damage to one's sanity. Here is a story that will make you think even more fondly of your friends who never (occasionally/ sometimes/ quite a lot ) lost their good old common sense and good nature and started asking impossible things from you.

Lily Weiss, our protagonist, is a friend/sibling and bridesmaid to 5 manic brides. She adores her dad and has quite a complicated relationship with her mother (nothing Lily does is going to be good enough, starting from being thirty two years old and single) and her younger sister. Lily is bored with what she has to do at work. Still, she is lacking courage to leave her secure job and become a writer. Compromise? a wedding blog where she can put down on paper her observations and tell her jokes without hurting anyone's feelings. Yes, some of the stories are incredibly entertaining (¡Hola abuela!) and even shocking esp. her involvement with not one, but two of the best men from her best friend's wedding party.

To be perfectly honest, my feelings towards Lily were all over the place. First, I liked the way she refused to beat herself up about her one night stand and feel obliged to start another dead-end/ short-term relationship... unfortunately, things weren't that straightforward and she came very close to sabotaging herself. Perhaps, I was a bit too harsh on Lily- I expected a thirty two year old to be more mature and more self-aware, but some things you see only when you are ready to see them.

Lily's blogging journey sounded interesting- a lot of people relish in the anonymity of the Internet and give vent to their feelings (perhaps, even slightly exaggerating things to make the content more striking). We know it will all blow in her face and there will be consequences...Perhaps, Lily needed a push, a disaster of a kind to force her into changing. I liked the fact that she grows as a person, a friend and a family member and clears al ot of issues in the end.

The writing was almost addictive. Some time in the middle, I wondered if five weddings were really too many (I know, that's the whole point!) and the book could have been as good or even better with fewer plotlines. Then again, not all our relationships in life are equally deep or equally important at all points of our lives, but all benefit from attention, kindness, and communication, and this book really drives it home.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC provide in exchange for an honest opinion.

Lily Weiss is about to be a bridesmaid in five weddings, all taking place over the course of two months. On top of that, her mother continually points out Lily's own single status in the wake of her two younger siblings getting married. To deal with all this stress, Lily creates a blog to talk about her experiences.

This book was a fun, fast read for me. I found myself getting really engrossed in all the drama, getting reminded of both 27 Dresses and events that felt like they were right out of a reality TV drama.

I loved the way that the book portrayed realistic sibling-parent relationships, sibling-sibling relationships, and the way that those two might intersect and affect each other. The growth arcs in the Weiss family throughout the book were well done.

I absolutely loved the development of the romance in this book - a best-friends-to-lovers situation? With a sunshine character that develops with actions that feel almost out of a rom-com?

However, I'm not sure how I felt about the fallout of Lily's blog going public and how the resolution between all the various characters was handled. It felt like all the very valid experiences (backstabbing bridesmaids, continuous body shaming, digs about how she's still single at her age among other stresses) were almost dismissed by the brides themselves except for one or two cases (out of the FIVE she's a part of). Yes, a wedding is a day for the bride. Yes, there was a breach of trust when Lily was blogging about these personal things in her life. No, that does not mean that hurting someone that you are supposedly close enough to ask to be in the bridal party by making them feel like they don't matter in any capacity is alright, and I wish there was more acknowledgment among the brides of this fact. I also felt like Lily was too harsh on herself regarding the fallout, and with the brides as a whole reacting the way that they do when it came to acknowledging the harm that they did to Lily, it felt like we were getting more of the same attitude of "it's my day so you don't matter" from the brides overall that caused Lily to feel like she had to create a blog to vent in the first place.

That being said, Lily's growth arc was well done, and her acknowledgment and following through actions on her own end were great.

Overall, a fun read that I'd recommend if you enjoy reading about bridezillas, snark, best friends to lovers, accurate mother-daughter relationships, and wedding drama.

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC.

I loved this book! Such a cute romcom about a girl who is in FIVE weddings in just ONE summer. The drama that comes with that many brides is incredible and I loved her blogging throughout. Such a perfect summer read that I've already passed my copy along! I especially loved Lily's crazy grandma and can't wait for more stories about her.