I’m not sure how I feel about this one still. I liked it while I was reading it but I found it very forgettable. I did really like the characters and the story line.

I enjoyed this book it was funny and witty with plenty of humour. The atmosphere in the book was amazing. I loved the characters the atmosphere and chemistry was amazing and beautiful written. Loved every paged.

Another entertaining read from MacIntosh that had me chuckling throughout. I enjoyed it immensely! It’s true that MacIntosh writes from personal experiences because some of the flashbacks that she describes really brought back some entertaining memories, making it even more delightful to read as a result.

Learning that she is still married to her ex-husband, Poppy is on a mission with her new-found friend, mad Kat, to get the divorce papers signed once and for all. When we first meet Poppy, she is bored and miserable at one of her best friend’s wedding. It doesn’t help that her friends have started to treat her like a pariah because she is the only single one in the group, not to mention has been divorced at such a young age. Therefore, when pushed onto the singles table, she meets Kat, and this is the start of a very entertaining friendship.

Poppy’s mission takes her to a lavish castle in the Scottish countryside. It is like something off a film set, which is no coincidence when Poppy learns that her ex-husband’s father-in-law is a famous film star. Thanks to Kat’s wit, Poppy becomes part of the wedding circle, under the guise she is not an ex-wife, but cousin to the groom. It’s only a matter of time before Zac marries – but will the divorce papers get signed in time?

What made this book so funny was how unpredictable the plot was. It was ‘laugh out loud’ funny and many times I was sniggering over the scenes, especially Kat’s erratic behaviour. Coupled with Poppy’s dry humour and commentary over the narrative, MacIntosh has created a very mad-cap series of events and I could not imagine whether Lilac, Zac’s fiancé, would actually guess the real reason for Poppy’s appearance. Add in some special MI6 action, and it becomes a very surreal experience for Poppy in Scotland.

However, it is not just funny in this story. The flashbacks throughout give readers more insight into why Poppy and Zac became divorced. This part of the narrative added a more sombre tone to the story and I think this made it more rounded as a result. It is not all happiness and smiles in the story and, whilst it does provide pure escapism, I think the sadder parts make it more realistic too.

I have read several of MacIntosh’s stories and fail to be disappointed. This was a great, light-hearted and funny read that I found I could not put down. Not being able to predict what Kat would do next added large amounts of energy to an already entertaining story. Highly recommended.

With thanks to Boldwood books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook. I really enjoyed this book. Such a great romance story! Loved all the characters and perfect romcom to read while over the weekend or on your vacation. Highly recommend. I love this author!

Usually I am not a big fan of chicklit that features weddings, I find them pretty boring. But I was really nicely surprised by this one! Well not that surprised because I usually really REALLY enjoy the books by Portia MacIntosh, so I was pretty sure I would at least like a little bit this book. In the end i loved it! There is so much fun and incredible things happening in this book, it's hightly entertaining! And I loved the romantic part of this book because it was not as straighforward as it can be sometimes in other books. I am giving this book a 4 stars out of 5!!!

I loved this, another great book from a fabulous author.

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

I really enjoyed this fun story of the second-chance-romance trope. In her witty and clever writing style, Portia MacIntosh has once again delivered a fantastic rom-com

This book was such a fun second chance romance! I loved the screw ball comedy and all the twists and turns. It was quick and super fun! Recommending to anyone looking for something light and fun

Thank you to #Boldwood Books and #NetGalley for the ARC of #NoExBeforeMarriage in exchange for this honest review..

This book was a fairly straightforward typical rom-com. Initially, when it started out all doom and gloom I thought about shelving it for another time, I really needed something light and easy to read. I did stick with it and it got a bit better. I didn't really enjoy the friend group of Poppy's, I felt they were kind of rude throughout the whole story. But, Zac and Poppy's story is kind of cute and it was interesting to get to the bottom of everything that happened. I also thought Kat was hilarious and enjoyed her throughout the entire book. Overall 3 stars!

When I opened this book and started reading the first chapter I thought I may have made a mistake - Poppy was surrounded by a friend group who sounded awful, she was having a terrible time, and I didn’t want to read a book about a woman who was struggling with life and friendships. Imagine my delight when the story picked up after that and turned into a delightful tale of a woman finding her place in the world.

I was cheering Poppy on as she navigated through relationships old and new, and there were quite a few laugh out loud moments with these - especially once they got to the castle! Although the overall tone was quite light, it still did deal with some fairly difficult topics that many people Poppy’s age have dealt with - losing close friends, death of a parent, miscarriage, divorce - and I felt that these topics were dealt with sensitively. And obviously we all know how it ends because that’s exactly how a book like this SHOULD end, but the journey to the end point is absolutely worth it.

I really enjoyed this book and would absolutely read the author again. A surprise gem for me! If you like contemporary rom-coms that still deal with some real life issues, then this is a great pick for your next book.

another Portia MacIntosh story that was great. They are always good stories. I like Portia stories and they are must reads.

This book was fun to read. I liked the relationships in it. Poppy and her friend Cat became fast friends even thought they just met. Their friendship seemed very true. Poppy and Zach's relationship was heart warming and heart breaking at the same time.

This is just the kind of book that one should pick up on a lazy afternoon. The writing, the characters and the eventual turn of the story are all enjoyable.
Poppy was the first of her friends to get married. She was part of a close-knit gang of four. The rest of them are married now, and she feels left out of their activities, mostly with good reason. The story begins at a wedding where she makes a new friend, one who might lead her astray, but she is too frustrated with her current lifestyle to be bothered by this small fact. She has had a hard couple of years, and the news her father gives her does not help.
This news leads her to run to her (not really) ex's wedding. She needs some time to sort things out, but the charade they end up playing engages in the expected way. Even the friends she is almost estranged from come back to contribute to the plotline. Here is where my usual niggle comes to play. The idea is continuously supported that if a couple gets hitched and does not get unbelievably drunk every weekend and do something stupid, they are now boring! This is not just a feeling; the 'happily ever after' is followed by such scenes to show everyone that we met is 'cool' again, spending their Friday evening (or some such) doing and saying things they will regret in the morning! Given the depth and emotional connections some people established during the story, I felt like this extension or explanation for how everything is resolved reduced my enjoyment a little.
For most other readers, this point will not be much of a hindrance, and therefore I would recommend this to anyone who reads this genre. The story's flow and the imagery keep the reader hooked and make the overall reading experience a fun one.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

I adore Portia Macintosh, every book gets better and better. This might possibly be my new favourite (although I say that with every book).

This has been entertaining and allowed me to completely escape and forget about any worries or anxieties I’ve had. This is something I love about Portia, she can help me escape and completely take me away from reality.

I love the characters in this one, another talent of Portia is that she creates likeable and realistic characters that you are able to become invested in.

I’ve laughed out loud at so many moments in this book. This is one that I could easily imagine on the big screen. I have devoured page after page just craving more.

This is a fun and uplifting read which has made me laugh and escape reality. Just the book I’ve needed. Portia gets better and better with every book and this is one that deserves all the stars. A definite for the TBR.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Really like this authors work. Easy to read and gun. Colourful characters. Good book to read at a weekend wrapped up on the sofa.

Fun, fabulous and frothy romantic read. Loved it from start to finish. An absolute gem of a read. Absolutely hilarious! Poppy is a hoot and her gaggle of friends and family make this an absolute joy. The premise makes for a fantastic story. Really enjoyable.

Thank you Netgalley

I loved this funny book. It was a really god ready that I didn’t want to put down. I will be recommending it to my Book Club. Well done!

Thank you to netgalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me an eARC of this book to read and review. I love reading and making a difference by giving feedback.

this is a beautiful laugh out loud romance comedy that is full of relatable characters, fun events and an immersive writing style that felt like I was in the book. I loved this it was beautiful and so romantic. I will be reading more from Portia Machlintosh in the future.

This was such a fun quick read! I really liked the humor throughout the story and I found the main character very likeable. I also really enjoyed the whole concept of the story and think it worked really well overall.

Let’s start with a bold statement! I actually think this is the best book I’ve read by Portia, and that is high praise indeed as I have enjoyed each and every one of her books.

When you read a book by this author, you are guaranteed to find likeable characters, interesting and comforting storylines, and bespoke and well described settings. This book has all of that. However, I also definitely found this a really touching and emotional read.

Poppy is a great character and I identified with her in a lot of ways. She is a strong, career-driven woman who has been through a huge amount of upheaval and is still trying to find her place in the world. (reminding me of myself!) I loved following Poppy on this journey and the fact that we get to see segments of her past, as well as details of her present and a glimpse into the future, ensures that her character is fully developed and the narrative satisfying and fulfilling.

The story itself takes you through a lot of ups and downs, and reminds us constantly of the importance of family, friends but most of all communication. In true Portia style, this is still a properly funny book in parts and will have you laughing at loud at times, and close to tears at others.

Zachary is also a great character, and I personally feel like he serves to highlight some of the problems with the “modern man”. Content for an easy life in terms of relationships, struggling with emotional communication and striving for success pretty much sums up Zach. You definitely get the sense that he is someone who, on the surface, has it all, but deep down is needing something more. Is the missing piece of the puzzle Poppy herself, or is there more to this story?

This is an absolutely gorgeous read and highly recommended for fans of true romantic comedy authors, such as Sophie Ranald, Carole Matthews and Camilla Isley.