I liked this one! The story was sweet. I always like a friends to lovers vibe. It was a bit slow to get moving for me, but I still found myself picking it up often! The spice seemed a little bit out of place because the rest of the story was so sweet. But overall, this was a great read! Toby was my kind of MMC for sure, golden retriever, he falls first, slow burn vibes!

Thanks to net galley for the advanced copy to review.

Pippin Marino has a lot to deal with. Her twin sister is getting married and her mother is selling the 100 year old family business that Pippin has been running since her father died. Yet one positive in her life is the return of her friend, Toby Sullivan. However, as they begin to work together, their relationship changes. One kiss is all it takes.

Whilst a slow start to this book, the romance was well told and I particularly liked Toby. He is very likeable and the dialogue between Toby and Pippin was witty. I enjoyed how their relationship but felt that it could have received more ‘AirPlay’ to highlight the progression from friends to a couple.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Rating: 3.75/5
Spice: 2 (as in, two vanilla spicy scenes)

I went into this book blind, because I have the terrible habit of requesting books MONTHS in advance of the publication date and then promptly forgetting what the entire book is actually about.

I quite enjoyed Pippin's story as she grapples with the changes in her life. Her mother is selling the family restaurant, her sister is getting married and Pip will have to move out of her childhood home, find a job and to top it all off, wrestle with her growing feelings for her best friend. And Pip doesn't exactly handle change well...

I thought the writing style and the personalisation of the characters was really well done. The dialogue had a natural flow and the characters all felt fleshed out enough to bond with them. The issue I had with this book was the pacing. Because halfway through I went back and read the blurb and found out that Pip and Toby kiss at the 50% mark, which I found to be a little too far into the story to focus on their growing relationship. Don't get me wrong, I loved the idea of them getting together and there was some very decent spice, but the pacing of the book was just a little wonky. Same with Polly announcing her wedding. It took a little too long.

I would absolutely recommend this book if you enjoy the hustle and bustle of wedding planning, friends-to-lovers, and a family restaurant!

This book was actually so sweet. I love a friends to lovers story SO MUCH. Especially when it’s best friends to lovers. Pippin and Toby were SO FREAKING cute. There is NOTHING I love more than a guy who has is bad for his girl. And that was Toby. Even thought this was totally in Pippin’s POV and that girl was oblivious I could tell that Toby had feelings for her for a LONG time. Their tension was written so well. Their friendship was so sweet, and their bedding relationship and their chemistry was SO GOOD. I did really love them so much.

This was more of Pippin’s story than anything, the romance was more a secondary plot point in my opinion. (Which is fine, but books that are marketed as romance should have that as the main plot.) I did really like Pippin! She was funny and so confident, but also very vulnerable. She was so sure and so unsure about herself and that is VERY real, especially for someone at 26. I loved her and her family so much. They went through the hardest thing and were able to come out the other side stronger together, even when they were still very much struggling with the grief of losing her dad so suddenly.

Pippin was going through so many changes at once. She was feeling so left behind, upset that her sister is out living her life to the fullest while she’s ‘stuck’ taking care of things at home. Which is fully understandable. But she was acting like such a brat at first. It was painful to listen to her say how much she loves her sister but not be FULLY supportive just because she’s feeling left behind. Of course eventually it all worked out! Pippin was able to pull it together and see how happy her sister was and how great Mackenzie was too! It was so sweet. I’d LOVE to see Polly and Mackenzie again??? A little novella or something!?

And I loved Pippin’s story arc! It wasn’t always easy for her. She was feeling left behind and lost and unsure about what she could even do next. But I loved that she was able to really figure it out, and do something for herself for once. And that she actually realized all of these changes were good for everyone, herself included!!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Yellow House Media for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book was not for me. Pippin spent too much time reluctant to her sister’s surprise engagement. Kinda felt like she wanted her sister’s relationship to fail right from the start. It was also a bit annoying she kept rejecting Toby’s corny jokes.

We were lucky enough to review an ARC from NetGalley for an unbiased review of Lauren Morrill’s, Sister of the Bride. As we covered this in our podcast episode, I’ll give you the short version of our thoughts.

Pippin Marino is having a quarter life crisis. There’s no other way to explain the anxiety riddled, panic inducing, spiral her life has become. Within one morning, she discovers she’ll be soon not only unemployed but also without a home, her sister is getting married to a virtual stranger, and her best friend has returned home to put down roots and she’s none to happy with his sudden allergy to shirts. Within 5 months, Pippin must facilitate the wedding of her sister’s dream, complete the sale of her century old family restaurant, and try to make sense of the very non-PG feelings she’s begun to have for her bff Toby. Throw in some side characters with a deep love of midwestern casseroles, 90’s r&b and Gray’s Anatomy rewatches, and you have a lovely story of one woman facing major life changes and making peace with their past.

What we liked about this book:
Toby. Man, it’s just…Toby. He’s sweet and he’s goofy, and loved her for forever. How can you not love a man who accidentally eats a display cake and follows through?
The Restaurant itself and how it acts like it’s own character.
Any miscommunication resolves itself quickly, honestly, and realistically.
The Father of the Bride retelling aspect of the novel.

Things We Didn’t Like as Much:
How Pippin takes the announcement of Polly's engagement and the fallout from this giant bomb. Pip is very selfish in response - but it’s needed for her growth as a character.

This is a high recommend from our crew. We loved the low (ish) stakes love story which plays more as a young woman finding their way and being able to choose whichever path they want. They have to make peace with the past first in order to do it.

Please check out our podcast for more of our thoughts regarding this book and our fleshed out opinions. That can be found at www.chicklitbookclubpodcast.com

Review: Sister of the Bride - Lauren Morrill

I was lucky enough to receive this book as an ARC on NetGalley.

A romcom retake on Father of the Bride about letting go, falling in love, and a whole lot of lasagna For someone who doesn’t do well with change, Pippin Marino sure is dealing with a lot of it. First her twin sister returns from Europe with a fiancé and a plea for Pippin to plan the wedding. Then her mom announces plans to sell the 100 year old family restaurant that Pippin has been running since her father died. But at least there’s one good development in Pippin’s life. After eight years on the west coast, her best friend Toby Sullivan surprises her by moving back to Boston. Having him back is the one bright spot amidst her summer of panic, especially when he offers to help her plan the wedding. But then one kiss changes everything . And Pippin Marino does not do well with change.

Friends to Lovers

I really loved this story!!! I loved Pippin and Toby’s characters!! Toby was a cinnamon roll type with a dirty mouth and as we all know it’s the best combo there is. He was adorable, mature and almost perfect (and the spice!!!) Almost perfect though, because unfortunately he had had a girlfriend during his California years, which ruined the “it’s always been you” element for me. Pippin was a little lost at times, but there was a lot going on in her life so we can forgive her.

I definitely recommend this book!!!

Rating: 4 / 5⭐️’s

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This was a really fun, quick, friends to lovers romance. I enjoyed the main characters’ relationship and appreciated how patient he was with her. At the beginning, I was a little concerned the main character was going to be too unlikeable because she kept blurting out rude things, but that seemed to stop happening fairly early on, thankfully. I enjoyed all the side characters and how things resolved at the end of the book. I was almost a bit disappointed (but not surprised) when the love interest admitted he’d been in love with her forever….it sounds romantic, but it just kind of confirms the stereotype that men won’t be friends with women unless they’re interested them. That’s not really supposed to be the case here, but it would have been more interesting if he hadn’t really felt that way at the start of the story.
Thank you to NetGalley and Yellow House Media for providing me access to this eARC for my honest opinion!

I’m an enemies to lovers fan so this book (friends to lovers) was definitely more tame than I’m used to when it comes to angst/pining/whatever you want to call it, however I found it to be refreshing. There was no nonsensical drama for the sake of drama, Pippin and Toby have a history which lends to their understanding of each other and mostly prevents any big (or unnecessary) misunderstandings. This book was a light and easy read that I genuinely enjoyed. It started out a bit slow but I felt that the author was trying to give us a really good understanding of Pippin so we would be less frustrated with how much she struggled with her feelings. Overall I thought it was a good novel with a solid romance!

Really great read. I haven’t read any other books by this author but will definitely be on the look out for more. The characters jumped from the pages and the dialogue and story were really great. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for giving me access to a fantastic book.

For someone who doesn't do well with change, Pippin Marino sure is dealing with a lot of it. First, her twin sister, Polly, returns from Europe with a fiancé and hopes that Pippin will help plan their wedding. And... fast, like 4 months fast. Then her mom announces plans to sell the 100 year old family restaurant that Pippin has been running since her father died. But one exciting development in her life: her best friend Toby Sullivan surprises her after 8 years on the west coast by moving back to Boston. Having him back is the one keeping her sane during her summer of panic. But then one kiss changes everything, and Pippin does not do well with change.

Sister of the Bride is a slow-burn friends-to-lovers romcom packed with wedding planning, pasta, tons of pop culture references, a tasteful amount of spice, and a guaranteed HEA. From the second Toby made his appearance in this book, I was rooting for these two! Their banter and long-standing friendship made for wonderful chemistry, and the dad jokes he texts her at the beginning of each chapter were a fun touch. I have no complaints about their story whatsoever! The background story, however, with the wedding planning and the restaurant fell a bit to the wayside or got a little repetitive from time to time. I was sad that we didn't really get to connect more with Polly and Mackenzie, especially with how hard Pippin took their relationship at first. Additionally, I feel there was a LOT of lead-up to the wedding and then that flew by really quickly, so adding a bit more detail to that would have been nice to read about in my opinion.

All in all, though, this was a cute story with great characters and fabulous storytelling on Morrill's part! Thank you to NetGalley and Yellow House Media for the ARC copy of this book!

I absolutely enjoyed Lauren Morrill's first adult romance novel. I have read a few of her YA books and love seeing how her writing has evolved in this new genre. Sister of the Bride is a great twist on the Father of the Bride story I loved growing up. I found the friends to lovers story line of Pippin and Toby to have just the right amount of tension to be believable and to draw you in. I enjoyed Pippin's story arc of learning to figure out what she wanted for herself outside of her family, as someone who started over in a new a few years ago to chase my own dreams it really resonated with me.

Thanks Lauren Morrill and Netgalley for the chance to read an ARC copy of this book.

Sister of the Bride is an adult contemporary friends-to-lovers romance that takes place in Boston.

Pippin Marino is still working in the family restaurant and living with her mother and grandmother when her twin sister comes home engaged to her girlfriend Mackenzie after living abroad. Although Pippin is dubious of the quick engagement she immediately downloads a wedding app and starts helping with the wedding planning. But also back in Boston is her best friend Toby who is single and starting a residency at the local hospital. For the first time in years Pippin has the two people she loves the most back home but things are rapidly changing around her and her future is uncertain.

I really enjoyed this smart and funny contemporary romance. Lauren Morrill found a way to make the best friends to lovers trope both romantic and sexy. I also enjoyed the backdrop of both Boston and the family restaurant. I found Toby to be an enjoyable male main character who is confident without all the macho swagger and nonsense.

I look forward to more adult contemporary romances from Lauren Morrill!

A really fun book and an incredibly quick read! I didn't put the book down until it was over and I really enjoyed the novel, despite not liking the protagonist very much at first and that got in the way a little at first, but throughout the book the protagonist was developed and I became more attached to her! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review!

What a light, funny and loving story!!!

I've never read anything by the author before, but this book won me over. The beginning was a bit slow and uninteresting, honestly, and the only thing that made me laugh was Toby's dad jokes. But once we got past that, the book became very interesting and super funny. The chemistry between him and Pip was visible from the start and I don't know how they didn't realize it right away. Although, at the end of the book, we discover that Toby has actually always been in love with Pip 🥹
But don't be fooled, this is a very steamy book. Toby is the cinnamon roll type, but with a dirty mouth. He's adorable, mature and almost perfect. And the spice!!! 🔥🔥

Pippin is the kind of anxious person who's a bit lost in life, especially after her mother drops the bombshell that they're closing the family restaurant, and I really identified with her in many ways.

The only thing that put me off giving it a higher rating was that at the beginning we got a lot more about the secondary characters (Polly and the wedding) than we did about Pip and Toby. Apart from that, I really enjoyed this book. It was a believable book, the chemistry between the characters was great and there's no drama, just a fluffy story!

Thank you Yellow House Media and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

| Are you looking for an easy reading, with dad-jokes at the beginning of each chapter to take from you a good laugh, a sister's wedding, best friends to lovers trope, Boston setting with a very Italian vibe because of the restaurant? Well, "Sister of the Bride" may be the perfect book for you!
| It was a successful reading, I loved the Grey's Anatomy references, the mentions of Italian cuisine made me crave a good pasta, Mackenzie, Toby and Nonna have my heart. However, I found myself with a little difficulty to keep up with the reading at the beginning, only after 60% I believe that the story really got me and things started to get more interesting, which I absolutely adored! + I LOVED the book cover, it was one of the first things that caught my attention when I requested this book, absolute gorgeous!

🍕I would like to thank you NetGalley, Lauren Morrill and Yellow House Media for allowing me to read this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Absolutely obsessed with Lauren Morrill's adult romance debut! As a long time reader of her YA books, I was so eager to get my hands on SISTER OF THE BRIDE and discover how Lauren's writing translated audiences/genres and she totally knocked it out of the park. SISTER OF THE BRIDE has the exact right amount of tension, banter, and spice (a word I hate, but will use here for lack of a better one). I'm not even usually a big friends to lovers person, but I thought Pippin and Toby's dynamic was adorable and I was rooting for them from the star. And outside of our central romance, the family dynamics were perfect! This book left me wanting to book a trip to Boston and eat a giant bowl of pasta and a cannoli in the near future.

“Sister of the Bride” was a sweet romcom with a lot of potential but unfortunately it fell through for me on some occasions.
The fmc was not really a very likeable character, but the mc was a sweet golden retriever type boyfriend. Pippin displayed just a too extreme of an attitude towards many things - her sister’s wedding, the future of the restaurant as well as her changing relationship to Toby. I felt like she was always on 200% which became quite exhausting after a while.
The book definitely had its sweet spots but I wished that the relationship between Pippin and Toby had developed more delicately than it did.

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

I also posted this review on my Goodreads page!

I enjoyed this heartwarming story of best friends discovering, finally, that they were right for each other.
Pippin has been holding onto everything very tightly but everyone else has moved on with their lives. Her sister is getting married, the family restaurant is to be sold, and best friend Toby is back in Boston.
I actually thought all the cheesy dad jokes were one of the best features of the book. I also liked that Toby was into Pippin much earlier and deeper than Pippin.
The ending was super sweet.

Okay so this is 100% on me, I downloaded this thinking it was a sapphic romance. Turns out that is just a dude on the cover and not a hot lesbian in a suit 🤣

That aside, the book was cute and fun. I love a friends to lovers story and a plot surrounding a wedding!