I love everything by this writer. The novels are always fun, uplifting, surprising and pacy. The main characters are invariably feisty, strong role models. There's never a dull moment.

Unfortunately, this was not for me. As a positive, it was easy to read, and the characters were likeable. However, I did not like the first person narrative voice as it lacked sophistication. I felt the plot was too predictable and I didn't think it was well-paced.

After an unexpected proposal, what should be an exciting time of preparing her and Teddys upcoming wedding, Liv has many challenges along the way. Her dream of marrying in the barn her grandad once built lying in the balance, as there is only one date available that this family tradition can now be held. Will Liv and Teddy’s marriage here still be going ahead?…

Another great light hearted read from Portia Macintosh, which will keep you hooked from the beginning to the end. A definite should read.

I adore Portia MacIntosh, and her latest release is another special addition to her collection - an absolute must-read for long-time fans (like myself), and newcomers, alike! She’s brought us another truly special and amazing rom com that surprised me with the flip of every single page.

Better Off Wed - she’s leading us in one direction, one relationship, a double wedding for siblings having to do a joint wedding due to venue issues, and a totally interesting friendship comes up out of nowhere when everyone except the one groom descends on the location a couple weeks ahead and makes all of the final preparations. A friendship that blossoms with the local and the entire family … and is extremely interesting! A big twist while we’re all left wondering if what we think will happen is going to happen or not, and how the rest of the story is going to go from there. We can see where it’s heading, but not sure exactly how she’s going to get it there, or how exactly she’s going to end it all. So well done and loved every moment.

Another absolute recommendation from me, because Portia MacIntosh is truly so talented and an author who is not to be missed!

I received an advance review copy from NetGalley and Boldwood Books, and this is my honest feedback.

Portia is an author that i discovered because of NetGalley and wasn't disappointed. ALL HER stories are good, witty and funny,

The characters are my heroes.

Better off Wed is another book by Rom Com author Portia MacIntosh .
Her books are so much fun and are always a laugh out loud guarantee.
I was reading this and it's going along fine and then all the sudden the book changes direction unexpectedly. In a book sometimes its good and sometimes it's not. In this case this unexpected diversion was funny. I was rooting for the main character. Where there is a major rush job on an upcoming wedding you can just imagine the chaos the ensues. A beach house with a beautiful view is where the family and everyone goes to plan the upcoming weddings, yes, a double wedding as her brother and his fiancée are marrying on the same date. They double wedding is agreed upon because it is a family tradition to marry on the Cornish Coast in a barn her grandfather had built. With only one slot left and the wedding date so close they have only a few weeks to plan this wedding, throw in a fiancée who doesn't want anything to do with wedding plans well you can see how much of a disaster this could really be. The book had me laughing and just imagining what all could happen. Could a change of plans be in the works?
Wonderful escape read that makes you feel happy with this read.

Pub Date: 10 Apr 2023
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

This was a funny and emotional read! I practically devoured it in one night and I gotta admit that it was pretty good. I liked Liv a lot, she and her jokes really made me laugh in the middle of the night

I absolutely love this book by Portia Macintosh! Macintosh writes a rom-com that is pure enjoyment for the reader. The plot - two couples, one wedding, new friendships, self doubts, self discovery and fate - is fairly predictable yet the knowledge of this is overridden by the characters, banter and general fun of the situations in the book. Liv and Teddy appear as a lovely couple however, when Teddy never takes interest in wedding preparations Liv begins to form a clearer picture of who he is as person. For Teddy money can be used to fixed everything. Liv is the complete opposite. She works hard for everything she has, she is kind and thoughtful, she doubts herself but still she wants her dreams fulfilled - even if she is not quite sure how to do this right at the moment. While Liv tries to find a balance as wedding preparations go on for Eden & Dougie and Liv & Teddy (double wedding! Where do I begin?), Liv finds a friend in Hugo and their friendship helps Liv think about who she is, what she wants from life and how to achieve her dreams - not anyone else's dreams and ambitions - hers and hers alone. And since this is a rom-com be on the lookout for an appearance by Fate! Happy reading!!!

I normally love Portia Macintosh novels. However, this one just didn't hit the mark for me. I couldn't finish it and found the characters unlikable.

“𝘞𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 “𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵” 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 “𝘸𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨” 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦?”
 
— 𝖯𝗈𝗋𝗍𝗂𝖺 𝖬𝖺𝖼𝖨𝗇𝗍𝗈𝗌𝗁 (𝗕𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗢𝗳𝗳 𝗪𝗲𝗱)
 
On the way to her brother's engagement party, Olivia's boyfriend of nine months, Teddy, casually pops the question. Although shocked and hesitant by his unexpected marriage proposal, she said yes. Yet Liv and her brother had always dreamed of getting married in the same Cornish seaside wedding barn that their grandfather had built and where their parents and grandparents had exchanged vows. Unfortunately, the new owner is no longer accepting reservations since they intend to demolish the site, and the only day available is just a few weeks away. Olivia is reluctant to rush, whereas Teddy is keen on getting married and has even offered to pay for a double wedding. As her bridezilla sister-in-law is adamant about having her way, Liv doesn't feel as though she is planning her own wedding equally. In addition, Teddy's lack of availability to assist with the wedding preparations makes her question whether she is making a huge mistake.
 
I like the way it was written; there is just enough description to draw one in without being overbearing. However, the knack for conjuring up insufferable characters comes naturally to the author, even in her earlier works. Liv's life is exhausting. If I were to put myself in her shoes, I'd be under tremendous stress. She comes across as naive, and I have trouble empathizing with her at first. It's unfortunate when someone is gullible and easily manipulated. Well, I used to be passive, and now I know better. It's important to set limits and fight for what you genuinely desire in opposition to what others are trying to force on you. I won't say more since I would rather not give away the story. In any case, the character development at the end is what consistently makes it feel fulfilling.
 
The book is up for pre-order and will be released on April 10th.
I would like to thank Boldwood Books for reaching out and giving me the opportunity to read and review Portia MacIntosh upcoming release for Better Off Wed.

This book had so many crazy and funny moments. I just kept saying, “OMG, What?!” At first the book was a bit slow for me, mostly because I was so mad at some of the characters for being shady. However, as soon as Hugo shows up, the whole dynamic of the book changed for me. I really enjoyed this book. I loved the vibe of Liv’s family. My only complaint would be that it ended too soon. I need another book to continue on their journey! Or at the very least an epilogue!!

Liv is surprised when her boyfriend Teddy suddenly proposes; she's suddenly thrown into organising, or being dragged into organising, a double wedding to make sure that everyone gets the dream wedding they want. But is this really the wedding, and indeed the groom, that Liv wants?

It's a pretty formulaic chick lit read; enjoyable if a little predictable. The characters are entertaining, the setting a lovely escapist environment and the plot funny with twists and turns. I enjoyed this book, I didn't love it but I'm not sure why!

I absolutely adored this book. It was a feel good, laugh out loud romcom movie in book form, it’s pretty rare that I find a romcom book - not a romance, but a true romcom - as well done as this one. The main character is so lovable! A big part of the storyline is the conflict between her and her extended family and it’s so easy to take her side in all the drama. She’s down to earth, relatable, strong, and intelligent. I was drawn into the story so quickly and finished this in 2 days. Which might seem like a long time, but I was in LONDON - the trip of a lifetime for me!- and took the time to read this because it was so addictive and just so fun. Another thing I really appreciated was the way the author incorporated pop culture references. I found them to feel very natural and authentic and they were incorporated in a nice way, not a cringey way. The whole thing felt like what “Better Than The Movies” was trying to be, but more successful.

Overall, this was the most fun I’ve had while reading in a long time and I highly recommend this book to any romcom lovers ;)

I've listened to a few of Portia MacIntosh's books before and this was as enjoyable as I found the others. A cute story, a beautiful setting, and while the beginning was a little slow to get off the ground, I enjoyed the ending.

Better Off Wed by Portia MacIntosh

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to Rachel's Random Resources and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb

Save the date...!

Olivia can’t believe it when her boyfriend, Teddy, proposes out of the blue. She loves him (of course she does!) BUT it does seem sudden, especially when they don’t even live together yet…

There is only one place that Olivia has ever wanted to get married - a gorgeous venue on the Cornish coast, built by her grandfather. The problem is they only have one date available - and it's only a few weeks away! Olivia isn't so sure about rushing but Teddy jumps at the chance to be married within the month.

Thrown into a whirlwind of wedding planning, alarm bells start to ring for Olivia. Are they doing this for the right reasons? Why is Teddy in such a rush? And when he fails to help with any part of the preparations, Olivia must find help elsewhere, with unexpected results...

My Opinion

After only 9 months, Teddy has proposed to Olivia and the sooner the wedding can be the better. Will Olivia be able to go through with the wedding, or will a month to plan a double wedding be too much for her?

I read the majority of this book in one sitting as it was too difficult to put it down. I have read a few book by Portia MacIntosh now and so far they have all been enjoyable, this was no exception. Portia has written some great characters in this delight. Overall, this was a very sweet read, perfect for a summer holiday read.

Rating: 4/5

Better Off Wed is an easy to read, gentle room-com. Liv has to navigate the prospect of a double wedding with her recently engage fiancé who is an unlikeable character. There are also a number of other unpleasant family connections who get involved in the story. Everyone gathers in Porthian Sands at a luxurious beach house where Liv meets handsome local Hugo.
I finished the book quickly and found myself carried away with the story and connections that built up.

This was such a delightfully fun read, full of amazing characters, a charming small town and an amazing sounding holiday home. I loved how the authors style of writing fully emersed me and I found myself fully rooting for the main characters. Overall a wonderful romantic read, perfect for curling up with on a beautiful Spring day

The plot of the story is very good, interesting enough to draw you into the book. I loved the development of the characters, how I started not liking some of them but I ended up loving them and how others I started loving them and ended up hating them. The story focuses on Liv, how she is surprised when her boyfriend asks her to marry him very soon and in order to get married in the place of her dreams, she must organize a joint wedding in record time. Already with that it sounds like something that would really make me laugh too much, I love romantic comedies and this one had everything it took to enchant me. I admit that perhaps there were moments where I did not connect so much with the protagonist and her decisions, however I think that it had a great development and the story had a wonderful outcome.

This book was a binge read for me, I picked it up in the afternoon and finished it by the evening. I found it predictable yet aware of its predictability. It was exactly what I expected from the description and I still ate it up. The author joked about rom com tropes as they were playing out and I appreciated the touch of self awareness that ran through the story, it added an extra layer of humour to various situations. If you’re looking for a fun and easy read, I’d recommend this one.

This book was honestly not for me. I didn't want to read any more of: We have to get married at this barn because grandpa built it and all of our family members have gotten married at this barn because grandpa built it which is why everyone in our family has gotten married there because grandpa built it so we have to get married there because grandpa built it and my parents got married there because grandpa built it and it's special so we have to get married there because grandpa built it, and on and on and on throughout the entirety of the story. I wish Liv hadn't been the narrator because reading anything that wasn't dialogue was excruciating.

Also for a character who's 31? 32?, she has no self awareness, emotional maturity, or opinions about anything other than having to get married at this barn.

Thank you to NetGalley, Boldwood Books Publishing for an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.