The Wedding Season is such a sweet, fun story about finding yourself again amiss heartbreak and embracing a new chapter in your life.

Excited for her big day, Freya has meticulously planned and detailed everything about her fairytale wedding. But when the groom unexpectedly dumps her the day before, she is left feeling lost and heartbroken. To make it through the upcoming wedding season, her friends come up with a plan to help Freya overcome her fears and anxiety, giving her one task per wedding to bring her out of her comfort zone. And, who knows what will happen along the way.

Oh, this book just stole my heart! It was such an easy read. Birchall writes great witty banter that made me chuckle out loud! I absolutely adored it!

I also loved the theme and lesson from the novel, finding and embracing yourself. It really spoke to me, and I enjoyed the way we saw Freya grow throughout her struggles, challenges, and joyful moments. (I also really loved the romance. I definitely saw the sparks!)

If you want a read to make you smile, definitely add The Wedding Season to your list!

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.*

I feel like so many reviews of The Wedding Season by Katie Birchall I have seen talk about funny the book was and how they laughed the whole time. Don't get me wrong, I thought the book was funny and witty but that isn't what made me give it 5 stars. What I found so spectacular about this book was the journey we see Freya go on.

Freya is dumped on the day before her wedding by the man she has been with for over a decade. She is rightfully devastated. To make matters worse, so many of her friends are getting married that she has 7 upcoming weddings to attend with no idea how she will make it through. Some amazing friends make a list of tasks that she has to complete at each wedding to help get her mind off of her own troubles which sets Freya on a touching and beautiful adventure of self discovery and growth.

If you have ever gotten our of a long term relationship like Freya is you know the pain and heartbreak that follows. The questioning of yourself and all of your choices. The lack of confidence and self esteem that comes with losing such a long term relationship. The Wedding Season so beautifully and powerfully captured all of these serious and honest feelings and situations while adding some humor and levity when it was needed. This book is about Freya's self discovery and learning that sometimes what you think is the worst think you can go through, turns out to be a good thing when the fog clears. She learns too that when you are out of a relationship looking back, you realize all the things that were holding you back that you never saw when you were in it.

I devoured this book. It was smart, funny, poignant, honest, and such a beautiful story of growth and friendships. I love a book with an amazing friend group and this one was stellar. Also, if you are like me and love a heroine who can drop an F-bomb like a sailor Freya is your girl.

HUGE thank you to St. Martin's and NetGalley for allowing me early access to this title. All opinions are my own. Definitely be sure to grab this book. It has been one of my favorite reads so far this year.

Happy Pub Day to The Wedding Season by @katybirchallauthor and so many amazing books out today!
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Freya was dumped, her wedding is canceled, and she must now endure a packed wedding season without her would-be husband. To make the weddings easier to navigate (alone) her friends create tasks she has to complete. There are some I would not be able to do 🤣 but I loved this idea so much!
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This is a closed-door romance with a great secondary cast!
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Many thanks to @smpromance and @netgalley for the ARC.

What do you do when your fiancé tells you the day before your wedding that you are not suited and that he’s calling the whole thing off? Oh, and your wedding is the first of 8 that you are to attend that year. That is the premise of the Wedding Season.

I enjoyed the characters in this story and there were some really good scenes that had good payoffs (not going to mention them as I don’t want to spoil anything – but man are they good). Freya’s best friends give her a goal to accomplish at every wedding that will push her outside her comfort zone and help her deal with going to weddings after being dumped. Some of the challenges were silly and others sentimental, but they all helped her grow. Birchall knows how to write a funny scene, many had me laughing out loud – busting a gut at some points.

I wish that there hadn’t been so much time spent on the ex-fiancé, for me it was overkill at times. For me, this book is more women’s fiction than Romance. I did enjoy the romance that we did get to see and wanted more of it – there wasn’t enough, and the end left me wanting more (it didn’t answer all my questions in terms of the romance).

If you’re looking for a fun, laugh out loud, growth of the heroine kind of read, I recommend this book.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

While I am not sure this is entirely romance, this story of Freya and the aftermath of her break up is so good. When Freya's fiancee changes his mind the day before their wedding, she is clearly devastated. In order to get through all of the weddings she must attend this summer season, her best friends help her put together a plan. She must complete a task at each wedding she attends.

The friendships in this book are just so incredibly fun. Lots of writers can share great friendships, but I love the ones that Katy Birchall writes in her books. I adored the texts and the conversations and their shared history. I come expecting a traditional love story, but fall in love with the whole cast along the way.

The Wedding Season
By @katybirchallauthor
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Loved it! My heart broke with Freya's when her Wedding day was ruined, but the book was so much fun! Especially, reading how Freya's friends made some outrageous and funny challenges for her to survive wedding season! Because of course all her friends where getting married in the same year! Highly recommend!

Hello 👋🏻 listen I know shit is HARD right now… and that’s where books come in because we need to be taking care of ourselves. And this one right here, y’all it took care of me earlier this year.

Happy US Pub Day to @katybirchallauthor and The Wedding Season!!! Thanks to @netgalley and @stmartinspress ya girl got an EARLY copy and when I say this book made me howl with laughter and sob - but also swoon and just connect with our leading gal. Is it normal to be proud of a character in a book? Because I am so proud of Freya and her journey.

This is the story of a gal named Freya who is getting married. It is the first of 8(!!!!) weddings she is going to that season. Her fiancé calls it off at the last minute, and she’s forced to put together the pieces on her own, while keeping her commitments to her friends.

It’s messy but heartwarming. Her friends rally around her, and task her with a challenge for each wedding. She pushes herself outside of her comfort zone and I’m doing so becomes a different, but arguably better, version of herself.

I truly loved this. It felt very real, and I loved being to tag along on Freya’s journey.

#scottonreads #goodreads #bookstagram #netgalley #katybirchall #romancebooks #stmartinspress

Freya has spent the last year planning her dream wedding to her boyfriend of twelve years, Matthew, when he dumps her the day before the wedding. Their wedding was to be the start of that summer’s Wedding season with seven other weddings following it. Devastated and emotional, Freya doesn’t know how she will survive it until her best friends, Ruby and Leo conceive the Wedding Plan with her while drinking one night. She is assigned a crazy task to complete at each reception to avoid wallowing in her thoughts.

I loved this story. It was great to see a dumped female character learn and grow on her own rather than just turn to another guy and cry on his shoulder. The creative tasks and her execution of them were hilarious. I laughed out loud many times. And the ending was perfect and fulfilling!

I loved this book, and the reason for that was that the story doesn't focus on romance but in her discovery. She trying to live despite everything, letting go the life she had with Matthew. The romance stays in second plan but still perfect. Jamie was incredible!! Loved him so much.
Her evolution was perfect! The Freya that started the book is different than the one that ended it. She started trying new things, taking risks and growing up.
Other thing I loved was her friends!!! They are wonderful!!! Just what Freya needed. Especially Ruby and Leo. Their support and love for Freya touched my heart. Friends goal!!! And the weddings atmosphere was lovely.
My favorite scenes:
1: the fireworks scene
2: the wine scene
3: the beach scene
Extra: the karate-kicking

4.5/5

You know that Martina McBride song, "This One's for the Girls"? That's how this book made me feel.
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Add to your tbr if you love:
- slow burn (there are no spicy scenes in this book, but there is a Jamie 👀)
- strong, close knit friendship
- self discovery
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Freya's fiancé has dumped her the day before their wedding, in a broom closet. The wedding which was kicking off "Wedding Season" filled with 7 of their friends weddings they were set to attend. Understandably devastated, Freya doesn't know how she's going to make it through celebrating her friends all summer. She's so happy for all of them, but her world is falling apart. Her best friend Ruby and her fiancé Leo come up with a contract: "How to survive the Wedding Season". It's filled with tasks for Freya to complete at each wedding to keep her occupied and not thinking about Matthew. Along the way she's figuring out who she is, after 12 years of being apart of someone else.
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I wish I knew the best way to sum up how reading this felt. In a shocking turn of events, I've never been jilted by a lover the day before our wedding.. but I have attended many a Wedding Season. I loved Freya's journey, how strong the bonds were with her friends and how love truly comes full circle. This is such a great "feel-good" romance. It made my heart feel incredibly full and you'll be missing out if you don't add it to your tbr.
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Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martin's Griffin for the original eARC!

Adding @katybirchallauthor to my list of auto-buy authors now! The Secret Bridesmaid was one of my favorite books from last year, and The Wedding Season is a favorite of 2022. I find things to be funny when I read, but it’s not that often that a book makes me laugh out loud, and both TSB and TWS did, multiple times.

This is a perfect palate cleanser - lighthearted, hilarious and sweet. I loved following along with Freya’s journey as she bounced back from heartbreak. I’ll be buying a physical copy for my library and am eager to listen to the audio as well! Be sure to add this (and TSB if you haven’t read it yet) to your summer reading lists!

Thank you to @katybirchallauthor, @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the e-ARC!

Freya gets left the day before her wedding ! Which sucks, also she has to go to a few weddings soon after. She has so much support after this happens. This book is contemporary romance, thank you NetGalley for this arc!

Happy book birthday to this sweet little gem!

Imagine yourself being in a relationship for 12 years and tomorrow is finally the big day, your dream wedding day. Then, imagine your fiancé pulling you aside into a broom cupboard and dumping your ass ... THE DAY BEFORE YOUR WEDDING. I would be absolutely LIVID!

After Freya's disastrous downfall with Matthew, she has to figure out how she is going to make it through the wedding season as a wedding planner. Thanks to her best friends, they come up with a plan!

This book was hilarious, I definitely chuckled out loud quite a few times. Katy Birchall did such a fantastic job nailing down #FriendshipGoals . I could not get enough of Freya and her time together with her besties. I went in thinking this was going to be a a full on second-chance romance book but it was just so much more than that! Freya's romance wasn't the key part of the story, it was definitely more geared towards friendship, moving on, and finding your own path to happiness. Don't go into this one thinking you'll get romance and spice because you won't find it, but you will find so much more!

Also good to note that this book is a standalone, not related to Birchall’s other wedding themed book ‘The Secret Bridesmaid’.

Thank you to St. Martin's Griffin for sending me an advanced E-Copy in exchange for an honest review!

While the general definition of a romance still holds, the variations have been spreading over the past decades from the lockstep plots of the Harlequin years to the many types of romance now.

This one starts with a typical romance premise: Freya, our heroine, gets dumped by her fiancé of twelve years, the day before their gigantic wedding--complete with peacocks. (the peacocks show up, a grace note, through the shocker beginning.)

Freya, understandably, is devastated. And, to really rub her nose into her total failure as a bride, all her friends are getting married. So her tight-knit friends group come up with a list of things she has to do by the end of all the weddings. And there the fun begins.

But the fun takes a while. Birchall writes really well about the emotional fallout of being dumped. This aspect goes on for quite a while. I almost abandoned this book at a couple points, because I read these romances in the middle of the night during insomnia attacks, and I don't need depression and misery at 2:47 a.m. But two things kept me going: the list, and the writing.

The romance is actually a small part of the story. What we get is a wonderful look at friendship, and of self-discovery. It read more like a comedy of manners than a romance--no bad thing, imo. And there were some hilarious scenes. Just don't go in expecting focus on the twosome.

The Wedding Season introduces us to Freya Scott, bride to be. With a summer jammed packed full of weddings, hers being the first of eight, it is sure to be a season to remember.
After Freya's fiancé, Matthew, breaks up with her the day before the wedding she is devastated. & here she thought peacocks would be the biggest form of stress she'd encounter! Now she must pick up the pieces and decide how to go about attending the remaining seven weddings with a broken heart. Based on the cover and the blurb I was expecting a full on romcom but ended up getting so much more. This book is about deep friendships, and not only finding love but finding it within yourself. Quick read that is the perfect book for the beach and warmer weather! Thank you to St. Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review. 3.5 stars rounded up.

Matthew and Freya have been together for 12 years and tomorrow is their wedding day. It’s to be held in her father’s garden in Berkshire. Freya has made plans for a long time and everything is set to come together perfectly. That is until Matthew pulls Freya aside and breaks off their engagement. There will be no wedding tomorrow. Freya is devastated and takes to her bed for days. Her family and friends gather around her helping her to recover from her pain.

With a number of friends’ weddings coming up soon, Freya, with the help of her friends Ruby and Leo, come up with a list of ways for Freya to get through these weddings as a single. At each wedding, she is tasked to do something that puts her out of her comfort zone.

Heading to the first wedding, Freya is asked by the bride to pick up a friend, Jamie, and drive him to the ceremony. Their first encounter is not the best and she is rather disgusted with him. But they meet at more weddings as they have the same friends, and seeing more of one another, a friendship blossoms. But Freya is still having a hard time forgetting about Matthew. Is it possible for her to finally put a period at the end of their relationship and move on in her life?

This is a funny and goofy story of close friends and learning to let go and live again. Much of what happens is rather silly but I’m sure many would think of it as a relaxed rom-con. Enjoy!

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Our heroine, Freya is completely blindsided when her fiancé Matthew calls off their wedding hours before... in a coat closet. Faced with even more upcoming weddings, her supportive friends come up with a series of challenges for each wedding to help distract Freya and get her out of her comfort zone. Along the way, Freya discovers who she is as a person without Matthew, sees a glimpse of his true colors, and even meets someone who might be able to mend her broken heart.
I really enjoyed this book. It was fun and entertaining to read and just was a cute premise that didn't feel like it's plot had been overdone. I also really liked that Freya was able to work on herself and discover who she was before she jumped into another relationship and it was fun following along with her as she learns to rely on herself. I loved Freya and Jamie together, but Freya's relationships with her friends also stood out as a huge part of this book and I truly enjoyed their interactions.
A huge thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for my review.

I really loved Birchall’s last book, The Secret Bridesmaid, and this one did not disappoint! Similar to her previous book, and most British romance, there is a heavy women’s fiction feel.

What to expect:
•Four Weddings and a Funeral vibes
•Jilted bride
•Opposites attract
•Great, quirky friends
•Funny internal dialogue
•Slow burn

If you are in that phase of life where every weekend of your summer is spent at a wedding, you will definitely identify with this book!

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The Wedding Season is about Freya whose fiance breaks up with her hours before their wedding. Facing a whole summer of weddings that she now has to face as recently single. To get her mind off of the breakup and to help her put down her walls, her friends set up a challenge for her at each wedding.

This one read more like a women's fiction rather than romance. I do also love women's fiction so this wasn't a problem for me, but it would probably be good to know before you dive into the book.

One of the reasons I wish the book was more of a romance was because I absolutely loved the love interest, Jamie. I liked that they challenged each other, and I especially loved their banter. Which made me wish Jamie was featured a lot more in the book. We just needed more scenes with him in it.

Freya is surrounded by some great family. Both of regular and found kind. Her friends are so funny and supportive. Plus, I loved how the strained relationships in the family were handled. It felt very healing.

The overall premise was great too. The challenges that Freya's friends set on her are fun and they really work, both in terms of getting Freya more out of her shell, but also in terms of keeping the book interesting throughout. You never know how Freya is going to tackle one of the challenges, and it's really enjoyable to see her growth throughout.

I did appreciate that this book tackled the feelings of going through a breakup. While I did think that it was a little one note, I found the feelings Freya went through quite authentic. However, I do wish there was more variety in her feelings, breakup can feel like other kinds of grief. So I was hoping she would go through similar stages like anger. Especially considering she seems to have flashbacks to instances where her ex is being very unsupportive. Mainly I wanted her to slowly see that she might be better off, instead of all at once.

I also found the timing to be a little odd. There were many scenes I was really interested in, but the book actually glossed over them, giving us only a few details over bullet points or just a summary. Inversely, there scenes that seemed to not have any bearing on the overall story but they took up a lot of time.

Overall rating: ⭐⭐⭐.8

Thank you to St Martin's Press and NetGalley for the eARC!

Super fun breakup romcom!

I thoroughly enjoyed this fun and frothy breakup romantic comedy! It has so many things to love (and hate)! We have the heartbroken heroine who was jilted in a closet the day before her wedding. We have the various friends who are getting married during the summer, in suitably exotic locations. And we have the good friends who have devised a series of challenges intended to help our heroine get through it all. Not to mention some new love interest sneaking in and some confrontational scenes with the former fiancé. This book is ideal for a day in your lawn chair chuckling at it all... Highly recommended!

Thank you to the publisher who lent me a time-constrained e-arc via Netgalley. This review is optional and my own opinion.