Title: "The Wedding Crasher" by Abigail Mann - A Quirky Romantic Comedy

Rating: ★★★☆☆

"The Wedding Crasher" by Abigail Mann is a lighthearted and quirky romantic comedy that offers a fresh take on the traditional wedding genre. While it has its moments of humor and charm, it also has its share of ups and downs.

The story follows the life of Jenny, a young woman who accidentally discovers her unique talent for crashing weddings. Abigail Mann's writing is engaging, and the premise of the story is both amusing and original. The characters are relatable, and their personal journeys are intriguing. However, the plot tends to meander at times, and some of the humor felt forced. Additionally, certain events in the story felt a bit too coincidental. Nevertheless, "The Wedding Crasher" is a fun and entertaining read for those who enjoy a blend of romance and comedy. With a solid 3-star rating, it's a delightful choice for readers seeking a light-hearted escape into the world of weddings and unexpected love.

I love to see a woman on a journey of self discovery! This was a sweet read and there were moments that made me chuckle and moments that grabbed my heart strings, but I wouldn't call it a romance. Poppy is adorable and relatable, but shelving this as a romance set me up with certain expectations that weren't met. Overall, I enjoyed it, as a sweet cozy chick lit book.

I enjoy Abigail Mann's writing style a great deal and in terms of that, The Wedding Crasher didn't disappoint.

However, I feel like the book is a bit more 'woman's fiction' than a romcom/romance, and if I'd known that going in it would've managed my expectations in terms of content and I'd have probably enjoyed it a bit more too. I liked Poppy and her journey, but it did feel more like WF.

Thank you to OMC for providing me with an ARC to review.

Came into this book expecting a rom com, but it was more women’s fiction. Not a bad thing but I wish my expectations weren’t skewed from the beginning. Did struggle at times but was still a worthwhile read.

I blimin' love an Abigail Mann novel! They never fail to keep my attention and put a smile on my face!

Poppy ends up being the photographer at a very high profile wedding that her best friend is the wedding planner for...at the same time as she is going through a divorce!

The wedding is a world apart from Poppy's regular life. It is on an private island and the celebrations are spread over a number of days. Over the course of the storyline, you see the family dynamics, work out who you do and don't really like. I tried to guess how I thought it would unravel and safe to say I was wrong!

There is plenty of humour, heartwarming moments and, as with all of Abigail Mann's novels, a mix of fantastic characters.

Thank you to @netgalley and @onemorechapterhc for the opportunity to review.

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I received this book complimentary from NetGalley but all opinions are my own.

This was very interesting- there was a LOT going on plot-wise. Honestly it felt like a little bit too much because of how many things were happening. Ottilie was a unique character and I felt her deception was revealed really late in the story. I liked Will and Poppy. I hated the dragged out divorce. And really Lola felt like a really rude and bad friend. I understood her frustration with Poppy but how she handled it…came across obnoxious.

This one was a DNF for me. I couldn't get sucked in. The writing style was similar to another read I had done, and when I looked it up, it was the same author. While that book was fine, it wasn't fireworks for me and since I was having difficulty immersing myself in this read, I gave up.

With her marriage in ruins, Poppy arranges a photography trip to escape the husband she still shares a house with him. It’s a solid idea but an example of when best-laid plans go belly up and as a consequence, Poppy’s adventure is chaotic with a serious undertone.

My thoughts on this book are mixed because I had expected a rom-com, but it turned out to be more about the journey of breaking up and self-discovery. Although it was a satisfying read, it did not fit the mould of a typical romance novel. The plot centres around the pain of facing the end of a relationship, reflections on a failed marriage, trials and tribulations of friendship, and the complexities of starting over.

The protagonist, Poppy, is a well-developed character who evolves throughout the story. Initially, she is a passive wife who tolerates a lot, but she gradually takes control of her life and realizes her self-worth. She transforms from being a pushover with her family and friends to standing up for herself and pursuing her dreams. Her character progression is commendable, and her commitment to self-improvement is inspiring. Similarly, Will, the son of a wealthy and overbearing businessman, is also a well-developed character who struggles to assert himself and acknowledge his emotions.

The flashbacks provide insights into Poppy's relationships with her soon-to-be ex-husband and Will. These flashbacks are intriguing as they show how these relationships began and evolved when they were younger. They also reveal how some characters grew and evolved, while others remained unchanged. Poppy's husband, Josh, is an example of a character who displayed toxicity and narcissism from the outset, whereas Will stands out as a contrast to Josh, especially in how they treat Poppy.

Although the book was a satisfying read, I feel that my expectations influenced my perception of the story. Had I not expected a rom-com, I would have enjoyed the book more. It is, in fact, a story of a woman coming to terms with her divorce and discovering her identity without her husband and marriage defining her. I believe that readers who enjoy women's fiction will appreciate this book.

***arc generously received courtesy of One More Chapter***

A big thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK/One More Chapter for the eARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. I found this book to be a bit odd. I wanted to like the characters but just couldn't seem to. 3 stars

Poppy, who still lives with her ex-husband, decides to go away for two weeks to be on her own and photograph wildlife. On the way to her destination, Poppy’s best friend Lola appears and begs her to help her with her first high profile wedding-planner job, as the photographer hasn’t turned up. Poppy reluctantly agrees, and is whisked away to a private island where the week long wedding festivities are taking place. Soon Poppy discovers that she knows the groom - someone from her past that she used to know very well.

This was a really cute and fun read. I enjoyed reading about Poppy and how she dealt with her ex and the man from her past. Lola was a lot of fun and a bit crazy! A good beach read.

Thanks to @netgalley and @onemorechapterhc for the review copy.

I thought that this would be a fun story but as much as I tried I really just could not get into it. I thought I would for I liked Poppy at the beginning but then it began to feel off for me. I am sure other people will enjoy this book.

I had to DNF this sadly as i’ve enjoyed this authors previous work. I found the premise wasn’t engaging and the leads were unlikeable. To be fair, my reading tastes have changed a lot so i just think it’s not my kind of book anymore. Thank you for the arc!

I loved it!

THE WEDDING CRASHER is a great escape filled with laughter, romance, chaos, and good cheer. Romantic comedy at its best (or hilarious worst!). A fun read with heart!

An entertaining beach read was just what I needed on a dreary winter day. This was quite the fun rom - com!

Hilarious misadventures right from the get go. Between shagging her ex husband and saving weddings that shouldn’t be saved you could be forgiven for being turned off the idea of official commitment. However it’s cleverly, chaotically written and will keep you entertained until the last page.

THE WEDDING CRASHER is a great escape filled with laughter, romance, chaos, and good cheer. I loved it!

Really clever, witty and super fun.

A really entertaining read, with tons of romance – which is just want I was looking for when I picked this up!

Thank you NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.

This was such a great read and my favourite of Abigail’s books so far! I got really invested in the narrative and the characters were likeable and fun to read! There were a few laugh out loud moments, which I loved! I also cant get that window scene out of my head.

I’d definitely recommend and happily read more of Abigail’s books - they’re such a breath of fresh air!

First off, I love how the book starts off with what happens at the end and then flips between many years ago and what is happening in the 4 days in the lead up to the wedding.

The characters were easy to get to know which I really liked, and w got to know them and their personalities, likes and dislikes more thoughout the book. I loved seeing Poppy get used to the idea of being at the wedding and not with her puffins. I enjoyed the fact that I, as a reader, saw more than just the wedding, there is Poppy's home life, Poppy, Lola and Will's past, and Josh. I'm not going to say anything about Josh because it will lead to many spoilers but I think even though he didn't feature prominently in the book, he was definitely infuriating.

I enjoyed the plot of the wedding, which spans 5 days including the day of the ceremony, and it suggests that it was a fast paced book due to the short time scale, however I found it was a bit slow paced, but I do think it worked well for The Wedding Crasher. The wedding is definitely not as perfect as it seems and it becomes more and more apparent as the book goes on and it really kept me engaged throughout the whole book.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and I would like to read more by Abigail Mann. I am giving The Wedding Crasher 4 stars!

A fun an enjoyable read!

Poppy got married young. Too young in fact, and she put her dreams aside for love. Fast-forward eight years(ish) and now it’s time to reclaim her life and first love – photography.

What better way to celebrate her new-found freedom than a blissful week alone on an island with just her camera for company. Until her best friend has a catastrophe with the high-profile wedding she’s planning and begs Poppy to help. After all, she owes her.

Poppy doesn’t expect to recognise the groom as an old friend, nor for the bride to get cold feet but what’s a wedding without a little drama. And as the wedding week – yes, week – gets underway, Poppy might find happiness again, just not in the way she expected.

If you love Mhairi McFarlane, Marian Keyes and Beth O’Leary, you will love Abigail Mann.