Bad Luck Bridesmaid is a debut novel by Alison Rose Greenberg. The books main character is Zoey, a free spirit who is convinced marriage is not for her, as a result of being a bridesmaid on more than one occasion where the bride never made it to the alter. Zoey meets Rylan and while they fall in love, when he asked her to marry him, she could not say yes. Zoey’s best friend Hannah, Rylan’s cousin, is getting married in Ireland, bring Zoey and Rylan back together again.

The book ended with a twist with Zoey choosing the best option for her. In addition to being about a “bad luck bridesmaid” this book is about the importance of female friendships and how not making it to the alter might actually be a good thing.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved the overall idea of the book! It was such a clever storyline that is so different than most romantic comedies out there. I thought the storyline was a good mix of funny, sad, and romantic, which made me fly through the pages. Each character was developed so well that I felt connected to each one of them. I felt like the relationship between Rylan and Zoey in the beginning was rushed, leaving me not as invested by time the break up happened. Bottom lined, I really enjoyed the whole story, I just wish there was more about the relationship between Zoey and Rylan.

Zoey is a single, free spirit, who will accept nothing more than one night stands. She does not do relationships. Until she meets Rylan and finds herself in deep. But her experiences as a bridesmaid who has never attended a full wedding ceremony, something always leaves the bride or groom jilted, scare her off marriage and Rylan. Months later, when her best friend is being married in Ireland, she meets up with Rylan and their relationship resumes. However, there is a delightful twist in this story. Read it to find out. You won't regret it!
Thank you to NetGalley for providing this copy for my unpaid, honest review.

I really enjoyed this book.. There was a fair amount of exposition in the beginning, but once she got to Ireland, I was completely hooked, and I couldn't put it down. I loved the female friendships. I also loved that she was kick-ass at her career. I also loved the messages and themes about staying true to yourself.

Sometimes I read a book that involves two people getting together and I cannot help but think "Ah, what a fun way to get together with your future ex." Bad Luck Bridesmaid is equal parts character study set in the more traditional setting of a wedding hi-jinks romcom. It was a fast-paced and fun read that had me laughing out loud several times. There's a passage near the end that I would love to quote around Loc 3439 of the ARC about complicated women, but it would be a spoiler. I've never been so happy to read a book that does not end the way I thought it would. My only weird complaint is all the brands name-dropped in the book, I feel like Spotify, etc paid for product placement, but then again our protagonist does work in marketing. (I received a free ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion.)

This was a fun rom-com. It was a little more risque than I usually read, but so many parts had me laughing out loud. I really liked the main characters and I would definitely read more from this author. I think it was a great debut novel! I received a free copy of this book from netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This book was such a rollercoaster of emotions, just like Zoey's journey to discovering what made her special. Having just gotten married last month myself, I really enjoyed reading about the different ideas on marriage and relationships this book presented via Zoey, Hannah, Rylan and Ezra. The relationship between Zoey and Hannah was my favorite one explored in this book by far. Once I started reading I couldn't put the book down, the story was well paced and I finished it in just about a day. I really cannot wait to read more from Alison Rose Greenberg!

i received an arc through netgalley.

I really wanted to like this book but I just didn’t. The main point of the book is that hannah can’t say yes to rylans proposal but there is never a good enough reason as to why she can’t. I figured they wouldn’t end up together but her just deciding that she can’t get married made no sense to me.

I was disappointed by this book. The description pulled me in, and the storyline was a good one. Unfortunately, it seemed to me that in the beginning, there were just too many one-liners, snarky, snappy, or otherwise. It got to the point where I thought they interrupted the story flow. I was not too fond of Zoey, the main character, and so I really didn't care about her flip-flopping on romantic possibilities. There was also no sense of place in the story, and that's a big minus for me. Don't get me wrong; there are positive things about this book, like how the author handled real-life issues in a book masquerading as a light romance. I'd sum up the story with the words of Stephen Chbosky: “We accept the love we think we deserve.”


Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press / St. Martin’s Griffin for sharing a copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

What a fun read!! Wow, I really did enjoy this book, especially the main character! You couldn't help but cheer her on and laugh with her. Amazing writing style by Alison Rose Greenberg and the storyline kept me wanting to read more! Excited to read more from this author.

I went into this book thinking I needed an easy read, romcom. I could not have been more wrong. While this book is technically a romcom, it is so very much more. The characters are well thought out and all so strong, in their own ways. This book teaches such important lessons. Kudos to the author for making the characters so real, and putting real life feelings into such beautiful words.

Thank the netgalley, the publisher and author for the privilege of reading this advanced reader copy.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I am a self proclaimed lover of the Hallmark channel. The entire time reading this book I could picture it as a Hallmark Channel movie.

The end was a little bit of a surprise, but in a I kind of figured that would happen way.

It's a cute, fun read. I stayed up way too late a few nights because I wanted to keep reading, which doesn't always happen, especially lately!

The book is definitely worth a read.

Great read! Zoey is here to make sure one friend finally makes it down the aisle while discovering that she herself doesn’t have to. Smartly written about women who find and continue to make their own happiness by doing the things that make them happy. This book smashes expectations and what the next “right” step is. Well done, really enjoyed.

I requested to read and review this book for free from St. Martin Publishing. This book has free spirited Zoey, Hannah knows what the right thing is, Rylan who has a plan for his life. Graham and Ezra the brothers. This book makes you think about what is traditional/normal looks like for everyone. We all have out version of what we think it is. Is one better then the other or wrong. And what you think you wanted and actually need can be something other then what it should be. Are there terms in a relationship. And can opposite people actually work together in a relationship. This book is for a mature reader and can be read anywhere.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this ARC! Loved this book. I nearly read it in just one sitting. Can’t wait for more!

I enjoyed this story. I really liked Zoey’s character and how she stuck to her gut though all her ups and downs over the years. She was a strong character!
Overall, the storyline was super cute. I’m glad there was a happily ever after at the end.

This is a book with a lot of humor, a little light on romance and a lot of self-realization. The set-up is typically romcom: Zoe is the maid-of-honor at her best friend's wedding and she's worried because she feels she is a cursed bridesmaid but also because her ex (whose proposal she recently turned down) will also be at the wedding since he's related to the bride. So, there's already tension when the ex brings a date to the wedding, which creates doubt in Zoe whether she did the right thing in breaking up. We watch her contemplate her decision. There's a lot of miscommunication and back and forth but I didn't love the romance plot especially since the character she ends up with does not have a ton of redeeming qualities; we've been led to dislike him through most of the wedding week.

What I did really like was the relationship between Zoe and Hannah as best friends. It was sweet and relatable. There's a lot of backstory in the beginning and it seems like the wedding romance happens quickly when it does happen. There was some frustratingly slow parts and I wish there had been more time to develop the relationship Zoe ultimately ends up in.

If you like romantic comedies and female friendship and want a character who goes through a lot of growth, this is for you.

Picture this: you've been a bridesmaid at not one, not two, but three weddings that didn't actually happen. It's the curse of the bad luck bridesmaid, and Zoey Marks just hopes she won't jinx the wedding of her BFF Hannah. Add in Rylan, her ex and Hannah's cousin, and you have a recipe for chaos...and love?

I really enjoyed the beginning of this book - Zoey's wedding misadventures were really entertaining, and I loved seeing her relationship with Rylan develop before their breakup. However, the narrative started dragging once we got to Hannah's wedding - it just seemed to go on forever. I also couldn't identify with Zoey and Rylan's issues - I just wanted to scream at these two to go to couples' therapy and work it out!! If you like your rom coms on the silly/slapstick side, you may like this one more than I did. I will say, the falcon storyline advertised in the blurb did not disappoint.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for providing an ARC on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Review posted to Goodreads 9/11/21, to be posted to Instagram closer to pub date.

The pressure for people to get married is so common that those who choose not to marry or to have children are seen as outliers. While it is becoming more widely accepted to do neither of those things, it still is seen as something that you just don’t do. Everyone needs their happily ever after complete with children and a family pet. But, what if you know it just isn’t in the cards for you? This is Zoey Marks's situation.

In Bad Luck Bridesmaid, we meet Zoey. She is a successful 31-year-old CEO of her own company with a kick-ass business partner, Sara. Zoey has dated several men casually as she has no desire for FOREVER. That’s a commitment she is petrified to make and frankly she has never been the type of girl to have dreams of what her wedding and future husband will be like. Zoey is happy in her complicated unconventional skin. Or so she thought…

Zoey started to question if she was cursed when the weddings she was selected as a bridesmaid for didn’t even happen! The bride called it off either shortly after the engagement party OR right as the processional music began. Zoey was 3 for 3. She is most definitely cursed.

Hannah, Zoey’s childhood BFF, is convinced Zoey just hasn’t met the right man, and thus, she arranges for Zoey to meet her insanely good-looking cousin, Rylan Harper. Zoey goes on the date, and yes, there is something different about Rylan. They date for two years! They live together in a brownstone with a dog named Sunshine. Rylan should be her FOREVER, but when he proposes the first time, she cannot bring herself to say yes.

Zoey is miserable without Rylan. Hannah is there for her in her misery, but Hannah is about to marry her dream man in Ireland. She wants Zoey as her bridesmaid. One catch-- Rylan will be there as well and he is bringing a plus 1. Will Zoey go 4 for 4??? If Hannah gets married successfully, does that mean the curse is broken and Zoey can have a FOREVER too with Rylan?

I loved this book so much! It was such a perfect, light-hearted fun read. Zoey is a great character. She is the protagonist who 20-something year old women need to remind them it is okay to be on your own. You can CHOOSE to be in relationships or not, but you should feel comfortable enough to live whatever truth you have.

I also adored the friendship between Hannah and Zoey. Zoey is wondering if she has a FOREVER with Rylan, but you know what….she has one already with Hannah. Every woman needs that kind of friend, and if you don’t have one, you are missing out. It is really just that simple.

Alison R. Greenberg’s writing is so easy to read because she is cleverly crafting great characters who you root for and settings that are very realistic. I laughed out loud a lot reading this and found myself in tears during the falconry scene where Zoey flips out screaming. I could picture it so clearly!

While Zoey’s ending isn’t quite what I was expecting, it is HER happy ending and so suitable to her character. I would love to see more of Zoey’s story. Ezra intrigued me as a character too, and I’d love to see more of him. I feel he could be a good counterpart to Zoey.

I found this to be a sweet read, but far to close to a saccharine romance for my taste. I think it was aimed at a younger demographic. Honestly, I cannot see any of my book clubs relating to this story.

Hank you Netgalley for this ARC.