Quick and fun read! I think Greenberg did a good job bringing the characters to life. Parts were quite witty and entertaining, but overall, I was left hoping for a little more. There was a lot going on and while I enjoy flawed characters, Zoey is a bit of a mess.

I also have been lucky enough to read a lot of fantastic books lately, so I think I'm a bit more critical of this one. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC. All opinions are my own.

Okay I'm going to give this book 3 stars. It was a cute and quick read. But it was also a bit of a mess. The characters, plot, and laugh out loud moments made up for what incredibly is the most confusing sentence I've ever spoken...this had SO MUCH filler but it moved SO QUICK. I'm not a fan of filler and this story could've run a bit shorter rather than trying to add extra bits to get a higher page count. All in all, I would recommend it but I wouldn't reread it. I will try more from this author.

I found the protagonist in this story not relatable and I had a hard time connecting to this. I tried many times to finish this book and was unable to. I shall try this book again in the summer.

I enjoyed this one! Its not your typical lovey dovey romcom. The MC is very set in her ways and knows exactly what she wants in life. The strength that her character brought was pretty amazing. I loved the environment in the book and the characters that came along with it.

While there were minor improvements toward the end, I found this book challenging to complete because of its insufferable main character. Had I not been listening to an audio version while doing many other tasks, I am certain I would have elected the DNF option, which I try to avoid at all costs.

I don't read many books on the romance side of things, so this one was out of my comfort zone. But....this one was ended up being more women's fiction than romance. I haven't read many books in this genre but I loved it! I knew I had to read at least 1 book with some love interests in it for February. This book was about how complicated relationships can be, and finding yourself. There was some romance, but it wasn't overbearing at all.

I actually would say more like 2.5.

Zoey is a badass. We know this because she keeps mentioning it. She seems to think unconventionality relieves her of caring about people's feelings. She has a successful business but her personal life is kind of a mess. After being a bridesmaid three times and each of those brides didn't make it down the aisle for various reasons Zoey thinks it is her fault. Like really? She goes into relationships with the idea that they will not be long term. She has no interest in getting married so when her best friend sets her up with her cousin, Rylan, she does it reluctantly and falls head over heels. After two years of dating she seems shocked when he proposed. Of course she said no. How did she not ever mention that she never wanted to get married? When her best friend is getting married Rylan shows up at the wedding with a plus one and Zoey is jealous. This book does not have a happy ending in my opinion so if that's what you are expecting this isn't the book for you.

Truth is I didn't like Zoey. At about 30% into the book she dumps Rylan and for the rest of the book we hear about her broken heart and how bad she feels and how Rylan shattered her heart. The way I saw it Rylan just loved her and wanted to get married, kind of a natural progression for people that are in love. She shattered her own heart by saying no. I hated the ending and made me dislike Zoey even more than I thought possible.

The wedding took place in a castle in Ireland but I never got a sense of Ireland whatsoever. Could have taken place in the Hamptons for all the description of the lawns and the building and the moon.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a copy.

Late is better than never!
I initially had trouble getting into this book. Its curious narrative style, that I could only describe as a mix of info-dump and self-absorbed, but kind of funny and 'there' but not yet polished really put me off initially. Its plot is kind of silly, the heroine's hang-ups didn't convince me, but it was an interesting experiment in women's fiction and expectations.

The author is funny and writes sexy and straightforward dialogue that often sizzles-and great tension and love scenes, but it's just not polished to the extent I expect. It could've been a short book, but we need to be told often that the heroine is wide-eyed, and that she's a badass, so it took more trees than that.

This may seem scathing, but that's because I'm disappointed. The plot was catchy, it had a good hook, and I'm not upset for having read it.. However, I'm disappointed that I know it could have been more than it was, with a bit more refinement and discipline. With that I may have even seen a parallel to Mhairi McFarlane in so many ways, but without out it, it feels like a bit too much of a mess for even a glancing comparison.

I really went into this book expecting something way different and was pleasantly surprised with how different this book is from a typical wedding rom-com. Although it has its comedic moments, the emotional beats of this story is what shone, really embracing a protagonist that is multifaceted and has more than one dimension. Did I not feel completely satisfied by the end of the book? Maybe, but to be honest I think I preferred it that way in this book's case.

The Bad Luck Bridesmaid is more than just a rom com, it's an ode to being strong women, to being women that are true to themselves.

Zoey and her best friend Hannah see life completely differently. Zoey is not sure marriage is for her and Hannah knows that it is. Zoey's been a bridesmaid three times and all three times, the bride has failed to get married. Each one determining that they're not actually in love with the groom and that something better is out there for them. Zoey has decided that she is the common thread to these failed nuptials and it just confirms that marriage is not for her.

But Hannah encourages her to go on a date with her cousin, Rylan. Much to her surprise, Zoey falls hard for him. Finding love like she never imagined possible, but she still isn't able to envision a future with marriage in it. This all comes to a culmination when she is Hannah's bridesmaid to her whirlwind wedding to Graham. While there, Zoey is reunited with Rylan and the pain of breaking up with him, but still loving him. Meanwhile, Hannah has been struggling with her own complications. Both of these women are finding obstacles to the "traditional" trajectory of happiness but they both manage to find ways forward without compromising themselves.

This was an emotional read that is about more than just romantic love, it's about loving yourself and loving your friends.

Zoey has been a bridesmaid in three weddings… and all three weddings have been canceled, so she believes she’s bringing bad luck to her friends. Now, her best friend Hannah is getting married in Ireland, and she’s nervous she’ll ruin Hannah’s happily ever after. But while that’s the supposed premise of the book, the focal point of the plot is actually Zoey’s nerves and concerns about the idea of marriage – although she met the perfect guy, could she ever actually get married herself? I liked the story, but Zoey was kind of a drag, and I found myself frustrated with both her choices and her inability to step back and see a therapist or otherwise take action to change. The novel was really well-written, and had some thought-provoking insights about societal expectations of relationships, but it was also just kind of a downer – even though there was kind of a happy ending.

Such a cute, funny, heartwarming story! I love the female empowerment message it gives. So important for women, especially young women. I would recommend this!

This was a good Contemporary Romance, that I would definitely recommend to anyone who thinks it sounds interesting!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher.

I’m happy to report that ‘Bad Luck Bridesmaid’ by @Alison.Greenberg was really cute! I actually liked a rom-com-dram 😄 I think I liked it because it seemed realistic, I understood the main character and I LOL’d.

Zoey has been a bridesmaid three times and none of the brides have ended up walking the aisle. 0-3, the bad luck bridesmaid. Is her ambivalence towards marriage rubbing off on these brides?! I mean, Zoey has been dating Rylan (hottie all-American boy) and she STILL has cold feet towards marriage. So he’s like, why am I wasting my time here? Anyway, Zoey’s BFF wants her to be a bridesmaid (oh crap) and she thinks if she can get at least ONE bride down the aisle her curse will be broken and she’ll marry Rylan with happiness.

Clearly things don’t work out that easily. This book was pretty funny and Zoey was such a good friend. Also, she ended up with the exact person she was meant to be with. In my opinion. Also, one of my favorite parts was Karen the falcon. Hahah, funny. 😂

The steam factor in this book was just enough. Not an overwhelming amount that distracted from the story. The parts that did spice up I had to look over my shoulder to make sure no old ladies at the gym were about to have a heart attack. 🔥🔥🔥

This book just came out on January 11. Thank you to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for letting me read this digital copy!

I have been a bridesmaid 3 times as well. I don’t think I’m THAT bad luck, as 2 of the 3 are still married! On that note, have a great Monday and start to your week!

🖤🖤🖤

Nice story about Zoey. Her self discovery through the book is cute, romantic, funny and entertained. Great easy and fast reading.

I loved this book! The plot was so delightful and I loved the emphasis on close and loving friendships. I thought the love between the main character and her friend was the real gem here and I liked that the ending wasn't the typical happy ending you expect from these books.

This is definitely an unexpected new favorite for me!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC ♥️

What a sweet, fun rom-com! I don't read romcoms as often as I should, but this hit the spot. Thank you for the opportunity to read it!

I would give this 3.5 stars. I liked it enough but I just couldn't like Zoey very much. She worried way too much abiut being "different." I am a Rylan fan though. :) I felt so bad when Zoey told him no. It crushed me... I would like to listen to the audiobook at some point.

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy for my honet review.

Thank you NetGalley and st martins press for the eARC.

I’m honestly not even wanting to write a review. This is gonna be more of a rant.

Zoey Marks is the MC in this book and the most insufferable character ever. I debated DNGing the book multiple times but I was hoping that she would get better. I was wrong.

Zoey came off as entitled and selfish. The way she kept announcing “ I Zoey Marks” had me rolling my eyes too much.

I felt like the author tried to hard to make her sound sophisticated and it just did not work for me.
For example;
“Forever? Aren’t you allergic to that word?”
“I was allergic but I’ve just started taking emotional Claritin.”

Also the cheating that came out of nowhere was not okay. I’m not okay with cheating but this was just gross.

I definitely should have skipped this one.

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley. My emotions are so jumbled after reading this story that I want to give it both five stars and one star. I feel like a damp cloth discarded into a pile of rancid rags, left to molder, but it wouldn’t be possible for me to feel this way if the writing weren’t so damned good. Ms. Greenberg, I hate that you made me care about your characters before tearing out my heart and stomping on it. That’s why I’m only giving you four stars. I honestly don’t know how to write this review without spoilers, but I will try. If you’re reading this review and don’t want to have any idea what happens in this book, perhaps you should stop now.

Initially, I couldn't put this book down because I found Zooey self-deprecating and just plain funny. Some of her observations were all too much like something I’d think. When asked by her best friend Hannah to meet her cousin Rylan for a date, Zooey replies, “...which part of me looks like I date bros who have Roman numerals tacked on to their names?” Nevertheless, she agrees and he texts her: “My cousin says your the greatest person she knows, and that I would be lucky to buy you a drink. How’s next week? —Rylan.” Her next bit of narrative is, “”Your’ howled at me,” and we know she’s going to tell him to get lost, but then he texts back: “You’re. I promise, I aced middle school grammar.” She decides, “Fine. Maybe I would let him see me naked.”

Some of the other humorous observations were these: “I was two beers past sober, and thus the harbinger of the world’s greatest wisdom.” And “I grabbed my glass of Pinot as if it were the banister and took a much-needed gulp…” And “To enjoy this song, one must enjoy it in such an over-the-top manner that other people become unwilling participants.” And “I slowly turned my head, as if I could somehow delay humiliation if I simply pretended that I wasn't born with the correct neck muscles to look sideways at people.”

The narrative is told entirely from the POV of Zooey, which would make you think you’d understand her a little better, but ultimately, I didn’t. She’s a likable and relatable character who embraces her individuality and wears it like a crown. In my view, however, she wears it like a ball and chain. How can I empathize with a woman who consistently chooses the most painful path? Who fights against what her heart wants because it doesn’t fit with the image she has of herself and how life is supposed to be? It’s as if she was born perfectly-formed and self-aware and there’s no need for her to mature and change her views. And she certainly won’t compromise. It’s maddening.

Sometimes a theme is so obvious, it’s impossible to ignore. The theme of the story is that holding onto secrets is damaging to our souls and we must be willing to speak our truths, no matter how ugly they may be, no matter what the outcome might be. To me, that’s too cut-and-dried. Sometimes we need to temper the truth with compassion, and sometimes what’s true today is not true tomorrow. Unfortunately for Zooey, once she discovers her “ugly” truth, she decides it will never change.

The power and importance of friendship is also a strong throughline. Again, this is simplified. Zooey and Hannah have been best friends for thirty years, and yet they keep secrets from each other and neither is willing to tell the other the hard truths. Yes, I know; eventually they share their secrets and that’s part of the healing Zooey experiences, but I found it disheartening that Hannah doesn’t share with Zooey that she might be making the wrong choice. Instead, she repeats what Zooey said to her earlier about Graham being a guy who would “move mountains” for her: “You’re worth moving mountains for too, Zooey.” And a small voice in her head asks Zooey, “Am I the mountain? Am I the very thing standing in my own way?” Oh, you’re so close, Zooey! YES, you’re the mountain! Of course, she decides she’s not, but the more important question (to me) is, why is she unwilling to move mountains? Is it only the man’s job to do that? Seems a bit sexist to me. Just sayin’. Maybe Zooey isn’t as confident and self-sufficient as she thinks she is if she’s afraid of losing herself in someone else.

There were some priceless bits of wisdom sprinkled into what I originally thought was a very funny story but which I eventually came to realize was a tragedy. I love Romeo and Juliet as much as the next person, maybe more, but at least, they chose the path that they believed would bring them together. Although taken out of context from the story, this explains my response to the ending. It was “...a moment—a big moment—the kind you prepare for, but are never prepared for.” I keep reliving the final encounter and thinking WTF? I cannot imagine saying “I love you. I want to be with you,” but only on my terms. It’s not open to discussion or negotiation. Even though both of us will be miserable as a result. Is it so important to prove a point that you’re willing to forsake your own happiness? In the end, I really didn’t relate to her at all.

It’s very pro-feminist, which I loved. But I found Zooey’s inability to articulate her needs and her unwillingness to understand, much less accommodate, someone else’s beyond frustrating.
Still, I’ll point out what I did love. First was this: “Society and biology work together to try to put rogue women in their place.” Yes, it’s true, but there’s no need for one person to stand up and say, “Not me,” at the expense of her own happiness. There’s a saying for that…something about removing something from your face… And I thought Zooey’s revelation to Hannah was a powerful one: “I think that too often, women take pieces of themselves they have no reason to hate, and they carry those pieces around like failures. If enough women stopped apologizing, then maybe there’d be less of an expectation for us to always burn bright and stand still. Maybe our complications would become our backbones instead of our scarlet letters. Hannah, it’s a relief to stand tall in my own body, rather than shrink because I’m not the woman someone else expected me to be.”

Although I could understand this comment from Zooey, it was followed up with a complete failure to recognize she had the power to redefine the societal expectations of what marriage could mean as a construct. “There was comfort in knowing that by coloring outside the lines, I was in control of where I wanted my pen, and it was not where someone else told me to put it.” Rylan never wanted her to change and I don’t believe he would have ever told her where to put her pen or where to color. She gave up the “perfect” man because she couldn’t see a way to combine her love for him with her need to express her true self. It made me want to shake some sense into her and remind her, “This is what you wanted all along! You can have everything you want!” But maybe the author doesn’t believe that’s possible.

I appreciate that the title of the book is explored, and eventually, redefined in a much more positive light. It makes more sense. One of the other things Ms. Greenberg does with her narrative is clever and memorable. It’s a little thing, but sometimes little things can have a great impact. It’s common enough, when someone asks what’s wrong, to say, “Nothing.” Whenever this happens in the book, Zooey narrates, “It was not nothing.” After an encounter with Rylan, Zooey is thoughtful and Rylan asks her what she’s thinking about. As with everything Zooey, it’s not a simple answer: “I felt a thickness in my throat as the answer tore through my bursting heart. ‘Will I ever love another man as much as I love you in this moment?’ I was living in a moment I knew I would one day ache for. I was home, and I was homesick. He was magic, but magic was fleeting. ‘Nothing…’ I lied. It was everything.” And it was heartbreaking. And I still want to cry. I’m exhausted.