When after twelve years together, the groom calls off the wedding the day before the festivities are scheduled to take place, Freya must pick up the pieces of her life and determine how to go forward, while understandably looking back to see if anything can be salvaged. Plus she has to find a way to get through multiple weddings of her friends in the coming months. This romantic comedy/women's fiction book offers plenty of humor along with real emotion and soul searching. Recommended.

What a fun and delightful read! I enjoyed the humor and each of Freya’s wins.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Monica: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I adored this novel. Perfect for anyone in need of a good laugh, a reminder of the power of love and an effortless dose of levity. Katy’s latest 𝘳𝘰𝘮-𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩-𝘢-𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦-𝘣𝘪𝘵-𝘰𝘧-𝘤𝘰𝘮 is perfect for fans of Christina Lauren, Sarah Hogle, Sarah Adams and Sophie Kinsella.

❤️‍🔥 Pros
The plot is creative, intriguing and flows easily. The writing is sharp, thoughtful and heartfelt. Katy balances comical inner commentary and witty banter with meaningful moments and an intimate journey of self-discovery to create a story that is heartwarming, heartbreaking and healing in the best way.

❤️‍🩹 Cons
This novel reads 𝘴𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘭𝘺 more like Women’s Fiction and less like a Romcom, but the comedic elements were clever and cute.

❣️ Overall
In equal measure this novel is sharp, sentimental, sweet, sassy and so full of love. I highly recommend!

I devoured Katy’s 2021 release, The Secret Bridesmaid, so I was over the moon to receive an advanced digital copy of The Wedding Season in exchange for an honest review. I loved this book so much I couldn’t wait to purchase a physical copy and add annotations corresponding with my digital ARC bookmarks! She looks gorgeous sitting alongside her sister on my shelf. Thank you sincerely Netgalley, Katy Birchall and St. Martin's Griffin.

This is my second read by this author that I loved! Her main characters always make me laugh and her tone of writing the characters makes me feel like I would be their best friend. This one is a little heavier with the sadness of the breakup being a main theme of the story, but I loved the plot line of having a list of tasks during ”the wedding season.” The side characters are just as fun as the MC! I look forward to continuing to read this authors books!!

Just from reading the book summary, I was intrigued from the get-go. And I definitely enjoyed myself with this book.

Freya Scott was an adorable main character. I truly felt for her when her fiance left her hours before their wedding. I can understand her feelings of being angry with everyone, especially the male species. I just wish she would enjoy herself more than thinking she needs to be with someone. Sometimes, being alone is the best thing when you truly find yourself again.

This story follows the perspective of Freya, a woman whose fiancé dumps her the night before their wedding, and she is devastated. In order to make it through the rest of the wedding season, her friend comes up with a list of tasks for her to complete at each of the eight weddings that will be happening, to keep her mind off her broken heart. It is a contemporary romance set in England.
I was super excited about this story. It sounded so fun, and I thought it was going to be full of hilarious moments plus a cute romance, but it was a bit of a letdown. It did not have the funny moments that I was expecting, which based on her task list would have been amazing. I think that this book missed out on some great opportunities for some hijinks and awkward swoon-worthy interactions between the love interest. Some of the tasks on her list were accounted for after the fact instead of being in the moment when it happened which took me out of the story and felt like we missed out. The love interest didn't even make an appearance in the story until 40 percent into the book. It ended up dull at times and I did not develop a connection or have strong feelings about the main characters. The writing was fine and I thought the story moved at a pretty good pace I was just looking for a bit more over the top, laugh out loud Overall, I was a bit disappointed but I do think that this book would be a great one for people looking for a more tame story with just a sprinkle of romance in it but it was just not for me and I found it ok but not mind-blowing.
I received this advanced ebook, via Netgalley. This review is my own honest opinion.

I love the tropes in this book, and I love when good things come out of a bad situation. Freya had a solid village, and she got to find her own worth, her own voice, her own self., I'd read it again in a heartbeat!

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC!

Katy Birchall’s The Secret Bridesmaid was such a fun time and this was not a letdown! It was light and funny and a wonderful escape. Now I know I can depend on Katy for a light-hearted afternoon read.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The Wedding Season was a fun read, with a little bit of romance. I loved the journey Freya took as she tackled the challenges her friends set for her. A light read perfect for summer!

FOUR WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL meets THE WEDDING PARTY...

Freya Scott is getting married. Her wedding to Matthew, her long-term boyfriend, is the first of eight in her calendar this year, and as someone who prides herself on being meticulously organized, Freya is intent on making it the perfect day to remember.

But when Matthew calls things off hours before they walk down the aisle, Freya’s entire life plan goes up in smoke. Humiliated and heartbroken, the last thing she wants is to attend a summer of other peoples’ nuptials on her own.

Fortunately, her friends have an idea: together they devise a series of outrageous challenges for Freya to complete at each event, designed to distract her from Matthew and what might have been. From getting stuck in an old church bathroom and needing to be rescued by the vicar to making out with a barman at a French chateau, Freya realizes that despite herself, she might just be having fun.

By the time the final wedding arrives, she will discover that the road to a happy ending sometimes has unexpected detours, that “I do” is only the beginning––and that perhaps her own love story isn’t over just yet.

This one is cute and funny. Lots of characters but not absolutely vital to know everyone to still understand the story. LOTS of dialogue. I was in a reading slump while pushing through this one which may have caused my score to be lower than normal. However - I would still recommend her other book, The Secret Bridesmaid, which I liked a bit more than this one.

The Wedding Season is super fun and lighthearted. It is also hilarious and I really enjoyed it!! It's really cute, has a lot of quirks and there is also a level of complexity that will keep you interested and intrigued! You're gonna love it too!

Katy Birchall wrote one of my favorite reads of 2021 and she has done it again this year. Freya's fiancé breaks up with her the day before the wedding because she is too sensible after they had spent 12 years together. Her wedding was to be the first of eight for the season and the thought of attending of them is a bit overwhelming. Especially if her former fiancé will be there. So her friends (the bride and groom for wedding #8) put together a scavenger hunt of sorts for her to help her keep her mind off of the emotions of each wedding and help her break out of her shell a bit. This book is about finding yourself after a long relationship ends suddenly. It also has the knee to the groin to closure monologue that you really need in this type of situation. All wrapped in Katy Birchall's delightful humor.

I am thankful for the electronic copy of the book that I received from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I purchased the audible version on my own.

I loved this story! Freya’s wedding is cancelled and to pour salt in the wound….she has to attend eight of her friends’ nuptials. Along the way to mending her heart, Freya has some moments that will make you laugh out loud and hope for a happily ever after for the jilted bride!

Freya has been with her fiancee Matthew for 12 years and then he dumps her in a broom cupboard the day before their wedding. She feels like her whole life has been Matthew and she feels adrift and unsure what the future will be without him. She also has a long wedding season to get through, one of which Matthew will be at. Her friends concoct a list of tasks for her to complete to help her take her mind off Matthew and enjoy the weddings.

I enjoyed every minute of this story and laughed out loud quite a few times. It is a story of friendship, family, healing and growth but without being too heavy or depressing. The beginning is a bit hard as Freya is completely brokenhearted and trying to come to terms with how her life has turned out. I appreciate how she didn't immediately get over it and begin a new romance. She has very strong friendships which helped her heal. I also liked her father and brother and how strong their relationship was.

If you love Chick Lit and Sophie Kinsella, you will like this book. I highly recommend it and plan on reading more by this author in the future..

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a free EARC with no obligation to review it.

3.5 Stars! This was a fun and easy read. I really enjoyed Freya’s journey to self-discovery, although I wish I had known ahead of reading it that the romance wouldn’t be a big aspect of the book (since it’s my favorite part)

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for sharing this free epub with me in exchange for my honest feedback!

The Wedding Season by Katy Birchall opens up with our protagonist, Freya Scott, getting ready for her wedding the next day. She is marrying her boyfriend of 12 years, Matthew, at her dad’s beautiful cottage in England. Her entire life is orderly and organized, but all of her life plans are thrown out the window when she is dumped hours before the wedding.

Not only is she totally blindsided, she’s devastated and humiliated, and the last thing she wants to do is attend the next 7 weddings she’s committed to by herself. So her friends devise a survival kit for this year’s wedding season, meant to challenge and distract her at each wedding so that she’s not focusing on the dumpster fire that is her personal life. As she completes each challenge, Freya begins to let loose, meet new people (including a strong grumpy sarcastic gorgeous man named Jamie), and learn more about who she is and what she wants moving forward.

My favorite part of this book by far was the relationship between Freya and her two best friends, Leo and Ruby. Their banter back and forth was incredible and laugh out loud funny. It’s rare in a romcom for me to enjoy the side characters more than I do the romantic interest, but they were honestly perfect and deserved that top spot. I would love to read a spin off book about the two of them!

I can absolutely see this book being adapted for a mini series or movie with all of the gorgeous wedding locales and of course the hilarious ensemble cast. If any VIP TV execs happen to stumble across this review, give the people what they want and make it happen!

This book was such a delight and the perfect summer read. I will definitely be recommending it to friends. Thanks again NetGalley!

This book was not what I was expecting based on the cover and the description. It was a lot deeper than just your typical RomCom - Freya was on a path to rediscovering who she was after a serious breakup (the day before her wedding, in a closet!). I really enjoyed her journey to finding who she was, even if it was not a path I expected. Her wedding list was a bit immature, but I think it helped loosen her character up.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

This book was fun and lighthearted at times. It wasn’t my favorite but overall pretty good. It was funny and gave rom com vibes at times which I luv

What a breath of fresh air. The Wedding Season bubbles with humor even as it simmers with undercurrents of deeper feeling. It starts when Freya's fiancee breaks up with her in a broom cupboard the day before their wedding. Hilarity ensues involving a well-executed kick to the crotch, a phone thrown out the window, and a choreographed friendship dance. However, Freya's suffering gets the time and respect it deserves. She experiences emotional ups and downs, and the other relationships in her life take center stage as her planned romantic future evaporates. We see her lean on friends and family, learn from them, and find joy with them. And for me, that was a huge part of the story's beauty. We see friendships that stand the test of time, a difficult and clear ending to a once important relationship, and the recuperation of a different one that Freya has largely ignored. She also meets people that give her a new lease on life, some just passing through and one who will hopefully have more permanence (but doesn't have to for it to be meaningful).

As Freya retreats into herself post-breakup, her friends help her make a strategy to survive the wedding season that powers on despite the collapse of her own big day. Determined to focus on the joy of her friends at their celebrations, Freya takes on the tasks set by her friends to try things she never would consider doing on her own at each event. From acquiring a man's cufflinks to being the last one standing on the dance floor, Freya experiences extreme nerves, freeing exhilaration, and smug satisfaction as she completes each wedding challenge.

In terms of romance, I appreciate that it takes a backseat to Freya's self-journey to restart her life. While I loved the banter and sweet moments with her crush, it never felt rushed or inauthentic while she juggles the end of a 12-year relationship. There are bumps in the road and silly rom-com mishaps, but they blend in with the other important elements of Freya's life rather than being all-consuming. Furthermore, I anticipated the love story to weave into each of Freya's challenges, and it was refreshing when that wasn't the case. Sure, he pops in and out, but the wedding tasks remain about Freya and to a smaller degree, the friends who set them for her. And I thought that was really lovely.

As a final push to convince everyone what a masterpiece this book is, I will clue you in to examples of the little details that make the story feel lived-in and fully realized. Of the many finishing touches that made me laugh out loud or squeal with delight, know that Freya must drop everything at 9 pm to watch Love Island, there is an unexpectedly sexy vicar who must knock down a door right before the bride walks down the aisle, Freya's dad is working on building a pond in his backyard for the use of local newts and frogs, and one bride and groom had their meet cute in a bookshop when they both stopped to pet a dog and realized they were both there to buy books from The Wheel of Time series (and to all these things, I say BE STILL MY HEART). I love love loved this book, and I recommend it to anyone. Thanks to SMP Romance for my copy to read and review!

I loved this book! It was so fun to read about characters that you want to root for and watch them develop throughout the story. The premise of going to all the different weddings in different locations with different challenges was thoroughly enjoyable.