I definitely thought this was going to be more second chance romance based on the description. This book was fine overall- I didn’t love the main character and I was not exactly rooting for her either. I felt like this book struggled with pacing and also being very telling not showing since it was written with a first person perspective.

Zoey Marks is preparing to get again be a bridesmaid(a role she has previously had challenges with each time previously), but this time her best friends cousin( the one who got away), will be there.

I didn’t like Zoey really- she contradicted her own stances and positions on things( eg her questionable feminism) and then explains it away by saying she is complicated. I get that women are mysterious and complicated but Zoey takes the cake in her self importance of her different-ness and complication. It just made some of the diatribes hard to read at times.

It was quick but I probably would look twice before reaching for this author again. I appreciate the opportunity to read this through NetGalley and St.Martin’s publishing.

This book wasn't terrible but I had quite a few issues with the main character and the way she talked about other women. For someone who was very "pro feminism" she said a lot of anti-feminist things and even acknowledged it at some points and I just . . .was not vibing with this book at all.

Also, the first 30% percent is all flashbacks of her previous relationships and I just don't know that it was so necessary.

Again, not terrible, but I didn't have a good time.

This one is super hard for me to review, first because it isn't actually a romance novel. It's women's fiction with a hint of love/romance thrown in for good measure I guess. The second reason is the author has a good grasp on world-building, character development, plot, etc, and truly pulled me into her imaginary world. However, I disliked the main character's basic personal philosophy on self-control and marriage/love, her extreme self-centeredness, her tainted view of marriage/love/the world, and her non-stop inner dialogue. (She uses her full name in her internal dialogue repeatedly, "I, Zoey Marks,..." and her reasoning for everything in her life that doesn't go her way, is that she is "complicated" and misunderstood or mistreated because she is a "complicated" woman. Even though I'd say she is non-traditional at best) So, what do I review...the writing ability or the actual story/characters created? I decided to go with a combo. Had Zoey been less "complicated" (read as self-centered and pouty/fit thrower) I would have really enjoyed the book and completely stood behind her choices about her life and how she wanted to live...so I'll be reading more by the author to see if it was just a character thing...

Yikes! DNF 50% in. The self discovery was a snooze. Slow start, the middle was never ending. Hot mess express. Not for me.

This book wasn't quite as romance as I expected. I'd classify it as a coming of age almost with a romantic topic (marriage). It was a quick read but I just wished for a little more story development out of many of the plot lines. We breezed over the 3 bridesmaid failed marriages so fast that, as a reader, I wasn't fully feeling the same impact that it left on Zoey. It was a nice book, but not one I think I'd read for again.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this book!

Zoey Marks has been the bridesmaid in three failed weddings and now that her best friend, Hannah asks her to be in her wedding she’s determined this one ends in a marriage. Not just for her friend, but so she can believe in love and maybe have a chance at happiness with her love, Rylan.

I went into this book expecting a romcom, but this book is actually more women’s fiction with a small side of romance. It’s probably good to know that going into it if you’re looking for a full on romcom. With that said, I still enjoyed Zoey’s story of finding herself. The author did a great job at developing her character even if at times she was a bit over the top.

I’m impressed this was a debut. It’s written really well with some humor mixed into the serious moments to lighten the story. I could empathize with Zoey and her apprehension about marriage, and I really wanted things to work out for her. There are some great secondary characters in this story that the author developed well. I was happy with how the book ended although I’ve read some reviews with others not loving it. I look forward to reading more from this author.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Zoey Marks has officially been branded as the bad luck bridesmaid. In the last 10 years she has been a bridesmaid in THREE of her friends' weddings and not a single one made it down the aisle.  

After the last failed wedding attempt Zoey is left contemplating life and her own thoughts towards marriage when she returns home to her PERFECT boyfriend and is PERFECT proposal. She and Rylan (boyfriend) are now left heartbroken and Zoey is left trying to figure out why she is so scared of marriage?  

Cue Hannah, Zoey’s childhood best friend. She’s announced she’s getting married in IRELAND and want’s Zoey as her Maid of Honor. Zoey is bound and determined to get Hannah down the aisle and get Rylan back in the process.  

 

Overall, I thought this book was pretty good. I loved Zoey’s development. I feel like we can all relate to situations where it just seems like things are constantly going wrong and it makes you question your entire existence. This is exactly what Zoey is going through.  

Once we get Ireland, the fun really begins. Zoey begins operation get Rylan back and get Hannah married. We see Zoey face some of her biggest fears, find her truest self and be the best friend she can be to Hannah.  

This story made me laugh, was steamy in parts and overall was a quick/enjoyable read. I would say this book is more on the self-discovery, chic-lit then it is romance.

Loved the overarching story but the author was so long-winded I got bored. The story would have been great without the 5 pages overview of each interaction, backstory, or side plot.
Good if you don't mind a ton of fluff. Also the romance was sad and was more of a women empowering herself. Which I love, except the main character basically hates herself for 90% of the book and in the last 4 pages finds peace with her unlovable sides.

What a delightfully messy book about love, heartbreak and commentary around the expectations of women when it comes to marriage. I devoured this book in a day and it moved me. I loved the strong female friendship, the Irish antics and a surprise enemies to lovers trope my absolute favorite.

Bad Luck Bridesmaid was a fun ride! Zoey believes she’s a bad luck bridesmaid because every time she’s been a bridesmaid, the bride doesn’t do through with the wedding. Because of her “bad luck” at weddings, she doesn’t believe in marriage.

I loved the characters and the storyline. It was more about Zoey finding herself but romance was sprinkled in throughout. I’m not going to give anything away but I was surprised by the ending, but the more I thought about – it was the prefect ending for Zoey. Overall it was a quick and fun read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchage for my honest review.

I DNFd this fairly early on because I don’t like to read foul language. Way too many f-bombs for my taste.

I was lucky enough to get an advanced copy of this fabulous book! It has everything I love in a romance: messy, complicated characters and discussion of deeper themes. After years of being a bridesmaid in failed weddings, Zoey begins to wonder if she’s the common denominator. Zoey’s own misgivings about marriage cause problems in her relationship as she reflects on what it really means to “settle down” and if it’s possible to build a life with a soulmate and maintain independence. I found Zoey an engaging protagonist and her thoughts about this stage in her life extremely relatable. There are also some fun, romantic (often steamy!) moments between her and the love interest. I highly recommend you pick up this book, especially as we approach wedding season!

I loved this story! You fall in love with the characters and story so quickly. Adding this author to my favorites.

I loved this one! As a romance reader, I look for characters to connect with and it is important to my enjoyment of the story. I loved the MC. She was a strong woman who knew what she wanted! We need more characters like her!

Don't let the cute cover fool you; I had heard before I started Bad Luck Bridesmaid by Alison Rose Greenberg that it was going to be more of a heavy read than a romance, so I went in fully prepared. Like the reviews I had skimmed had said, this was indeed more about Zoey discovering who she was as a person, and it was a little lighter on the romance side of things. It had its funny moments for sure, but definitely not as many as I would expect from a full-blown romcom, so in my mind, I am considering it more women's fiction with a dash of romance and humor. I enjoyed Zoey as a character for the most part (she is a little much at times), and I could fully appreciate her apprehension toward marriage and if it was something she would ever want at all. As a woman who doesn't want kids, I rather likened it to that, so I could understand how she felt and I already know the pressure that is placed on us as women, in general, to be a certain way and want certain things.

I also highly recommend listening to the audiobook which is narrated by Sarah Naughton. I have listened to a few books now that she has narrated, and she kills it every single time. I loved her as the voice of Zoey, and it is my opinion that she really helps the listener connect to this story as a whole. I really liked the pacing of the book, and I zipped through this one when I had the time to listen to it. For the voracious reader, it would be easily doable to listen to it or read it in one day, and the audiobook is just shy of being 10 hours long. I was really impressed with the characterization Greenberg was able to achieve in Bad Luck Bridesmaid, and each of the characters felt very real and whole. I was actually a little surprised that this is a debut, and based on how much I enjoyed it, I will definitely be reading whatever Greenberg comes out with next no matter what the genre.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

*Contains spoilers*

I was really vibing with the book up until the ending. Like I was thinking five stars.

Bad Luck Bridesmaid is a silly (and surprisingly naughty!) book about Zoey, who is set to be her best friend's Bridesmaid in her wedding in Ireland. But her best friend is related to her ex boyfriend, and he shows up with another woman on his arm.

The book is hilarious and is a lot more relatable than I originally anticipated. Reading the book left me feeling like this would be an incredible movie.

But that ending... Zoey parts ways with her ex after a will they won't they whirlwind, and she winds up maybe with the best man, who is just terrible. I liked that Zoey stayed true to herself, and didn't compromise what she wanted for a man, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't rooting for her and Ryland to wind up together in the end.

Thank you to netgalley for this copy! I also own this physical paperback because I loved it so much! Recommend!

This is EXACTLY the new direction romance books should be taken and explored. This was a pleasant surprise to read and I loved how it had all the classic elements we love in contemporary romance but it had taken a more reflective and self-awareness approach.

All the characters were likeable and I found myself chuckling more than a few times through the shenanigans. We follow Zoey with her anti-Forever with marriage stance after witnessing 3 of her friends not making it down the aisle and thinking herself as the Bad Luck Bridesmaid.

Then she goes on her own journey of discovering love - is it enough to change her stance on Forever? You'd think it was predictable, but it wasn't. I loved it - highly recommend.

Cute story!

Description
Most Anticipated Romance of 2022 by Goodreads

"A compulsively readable, witty, and humorous novel about the pursuit of a happily ever after...with oneself." - Tif Marcelo

Whip-smart, heartfelt and joyful, Alison Rose Greenberg's Bad Luck Bridesmaid is a celebration of complicated women and a power-anthem to live your truth.

Happy Ever After.
On Her Own Terms.

It’s official: Zoey Marks is the cursed bridesmaid that no engagement can survive. Ten years, three empire waist dresses, and ZERO brides have walked down the aisle.

After strike three, Zoey is left wondering if her own ambivalence towards marriage has rubbed off on those she loves. And when her building distrust of matrimony culminates in turning down a proposal from her perfect All-American boyfriend, Rylan Harper III, she and Rylan are both left heartbroken, leaving Zoey to wonder: what is it exactly about tying the knot that makes her want to run in the opposite direction?

Enter Hannah Green: Zoey’s best friend, who announces that she’s marrying a guy she just met (cue eye roll). At a castle. In gorgeous, romantic Ireland, where Rylan will be in attendance, and Zoey will be a bridesmaid. It’ll be fine.

Bad Luck Bridesmaid is less about finding your happily ever after romantically with someone else and more about finding it with yourself. Embracing your flaws, your differences, the things that make you unique … even if they are not what others view as “normal”.

I really enjoyed this debut novel by Alison Rose Greenberg. I was immediately sucked into Zoey’s story, having to know what was going to happen and how exactly she was a bad luck bridesmaid. I loved learning about the fragmented parts of her history right along with the present. Plus some of the stuff really made me smile/laugh while I was reading.

Most of all, I loved the story of friendship between Zoey and Hannah. Finding forever in the form of someone who has grown not only up but also with you, and still choosing to love and support that friend no matter what life brings.

I initially wanted to read this one because of the cover, and the clever title, and I am so glad I did. Thank you so much St Martins Press Romance for this eARC copy to read and review.