4.5 stars!

All of my friends who read this before me are laughing so hard because I swore up and down that this wasn’t the book for me, but here we are a face full of tears later and it’s me eating crow. Absolutely emotional and moving. Literally blindsided me with how much I loved Ada (she was almost too relatable). Want to tattoo this book on my face!!

Wedding Dashers was a fun and lighthearted romance that I think those who love to travel will enjoy!

I enjoyed the slow build of friendship between the two main characters, but I wish there had been more depth around Ada and her sister. Their relationship was a driving factor in the story and I think the book would have benefitted from more detail there.

The European road trip misadventure was a fun story, and the writing was pretty solid, although I did feel like there were some awkward scene breaks at times.

This one isn’t a new favorite, but it had a lot of charm and humor and kept me entertained while reading.

There’s an ongoing conversation happening in Romancelandia these days about tropes and the over usage of them to write and sell a book. In reality, tropes can be quite gimmicky and an easy way to market a book. Put up a cute little Instagram ready graphic, surround it with a half dozen tropes contained within the book and there you have it, easy-peasy lemon squeezy! It’s quick and fun and eye-popping if done correctly and it probably helps sell a lot of books that way.

The problem, however, lies in the actual writing of the book. A book needs a plot. It needs character development, it needs multifaceted characters who evolve and progress and grow through the book. If an author overrelies on tropes, then the book feels hollow, lacking in substance and depth.

I’m not going to say Wedding Dashers, by Heather McBreen, was bad. It truly wasn’t and in fact, I think a lot of people will actually probably really enjoy this book. However, there are a couple of big problems for me with this book and I just want to address them in this review.

First of all, let’s address the issue of tropes. This book has a fair amount. Our two MCs, Ada and Jack, meet while enroute to the same destination wedding at a castle in Ireland. She’s the bride to be’s older sister and maid of honor, he’s the groom’s best friend and best man. Flight cancellations and hotel reservation mishaps plus a luggage mixup all combine to put these two in the same location, miles and hours from their final destination just days before the wedding is to take place.

Ada, broke and without many other options, takes Jack’s offer to travel together and also his offer of sharing a hotel room the very first night they meet. If by now you’ve guessed that the first trope to pop up in this book is only one bed, then I’ll have some lovely parting gifts for you at the end of this review. (I’m kidding, there are no gifts, just the satisfaction of knowing that you were right). Ada, aside from being broke, is also brokenhearted. She is, to quote Ross Gellar from Friends, on a break from her boyfriend of 8 years (not her idea), just recently had to close down her tattoo parlor business, and hasn’t spoken to her sister in quite a while as she was less than enthused to learn Allison was marrying some guy she just met. She grew up with a single mom and since her mom worked long hours to support them, Ada became the de facto mom to her sister, and as such, is overly involved and always trying to fix everything for Allison, which includes a series of toxic relationships with problematic men. Given that Ada barely knows the fiance (a plastic surgeon named Collin who happens to be close to a decade older than his would be bride), it stands to reason that she’s not sold on this relationship or the upcoming wedding. The interesting thing about Ada is that she holds nothing back, she is a complete open book and not shy about stating what she wants.

Jack, on the other hand, is a closed book. He is not giving anything away although it’s pretty obvious from the get go that he’s definitely hiding something big, a revelation that comes around the 60% mark of the book and while it’s not all that shocking, I will refrain from spoiling the big secret. If Ada is all hearts and emotions and desperate to get back together with her ex, then Jack is the complete antithesis, not sold on relationships and love and monogamy and perhaps human emotions in general. The problem is that he feels more like a caricature than a real character, and while there is obviously a change in how he feels towards the beginning of the book to how he feels at the end of the book, the journey to how he gets from point A to point B seems to be lacking a bit.

The two embark on a journey that becomes increasingly absurd, with repeated shared hotel rooms including one that forces them to pretend to be a married couple (fake relationship trope, check!) and involves a bus ride, a train ride, a borrowed car that inevitably breaks down midjourney, a ferry ride, and an unfortrunate night out at a pub that ends with Ada vomiting on Jack and him taking care of her. While their journey starts with them at odds with each other, by the time they make it to the wedding venue, the antagonism has turned to lust and they eventually act on their attraction and sleep together the night before the wedding, around three quarters of the way through the book.

This brings me to my second problem, the pacing of this book. From the time they meet to the actual wedding is maybe just a few days, not even a whole week. Once the wedding occurs, they have their third act breakup and then, in the course of two chapters, a whole year has passed before the big finale and HEA. I wish that the author had dedicated a little more space to those 52 weeks because it really does make the end of the book feel rushed and the HEA feels a little less earned that way. I’m not saying I don’t buy that these two have big feelings for each other but the way it jumps from them separating at the end of the wedding to their reunion a year later feels really random, especially in light of the fact that it’s pretty clearly mentioned that in that one year, there was zero contact or communication between them.

In writing this review, I’ve realized that this book would have made a very cute rom com movie (and still could! I’d definitely watch it!). However, what makes a rom com movie work doesn’t necessarily translate the same way to a book. Pacing and character development issues aside, I think there’s still an audience for this book. But for me, this book lands in that unfortunate category of fine but forgettable.

after some thought, i did in fact come back to this one! yes, it’s true jack is a humongous jerk almost the entire book, but his backstory kindaaa helps deflate that and maybe ada deserved better. who knows?

yet i truly believed in their development together and the forced proximity truly helped to bring them closer emotionally, even when confronted their issues got tough. also, for a first time sex scene this was steamy as hell and that didn’t hurt 🙂‍↕️

Wedding Dashers, by Heather McBreen, after spending the bulk of her money trying to get to her sister’s location, wedding and Ireland. She learns her flight has been canceled, but good news. She gets a hotel voucher. Only to arrive at the hotel and learn it was for the night before. flustered and with nowhere to go and no money to get there, she grabs the wrong suitcase that belongs to Ryan. Fortunately for Ada, he is also going to the wedding as he is the best man and decides to take her on and help her get there. Problem solved right… easy-going… If it hasn’t gone wrong yet it will because nothing but uncanny problems and Sue. She has the hots for Ryan and although she is taking a break from her long time boyfriend she’s still pondering their question as well. there were some things I really liked about Ada and some things I really didn’t but in the long run by the end of the book I loved her. when writing a book with so many tropes it’s a thin line between writing an original trophy story and one that’s been told and although the scenario is similar, I really like this book I like that the ride wasn’t the whole book and we got to see them in different scenarios and I absolutely loved the ending. This is an awesome troppy, swoony romance and it’s one I definitely recommend.#NetGalley, #BerkeleyPublishing, #HeatherMcBreen, #WeddingDashers,

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘴𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘵𝘰 ＠𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘬𝘭𝘦𝘺𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘤！
#BerkleyPartner #Berkey

You know when you finish a book and realize you could have kept reading, because it was that good and you weren’t ready for it to end? This is one of those.

The story starts off with Ada being stranded in London because the airline she booked with cancelled her connection— why do airlines messing up make for such good starters for romcoms?! She arrives at the hotel with the airline voucher, only to discover that it is expired, leaving her stranded, broke, and far from her sister’s wedding venue. That is when she meets a very attractive stranger, who turns out to also be heading to Ireland… to attend the same wedding, as the best man. When no other options would get them to the wedding on time, they decide to road trip through the UK together.

I can truly see this novel being a top read this year. It had everything I wanted and, somehow more! From the meet-cute to the banter and chemistry between the MCs, to the Leap Year-style road trip, and the growth and heartfelt moments! Honestly, add this debut novel to your immediate TBR; you won’t regret it! I am so looking forward to reading more books by Heather McBreen!

Thank you to @BerkleyRomance #berkleybesties and @PRHAudio for the advance copies.
Wedding Dashers is a hilarious travel romcom that I enjoyed so much. Ada must travel to Ireland for her sister’s wedding. She ends up stuck in London and then accidentally almost has a one-night stand. Turns out the guy is heading to the same wedding and his best friend is the groom. The rest of the story is Ada & Jack’s journey to get to the wedding. I couldn’t stop laughing at all of the ridiculous situations that they get themselves into and their banter is amazing. Ada & Jack both also take some time on this trip to learn about themselves and the relationships with others in their lives. I loved the way things worked out in a believable ending.
Give this book a shot if you like:
-travel romance
-forced proximity
-enemies to lovers
-only one bed
-witty banter

Ada is beginning to think she’s bad luck. After being entrusted with her sister’s VERY important wedding veil, Ada is determined to make it to Belfast on time for the wedding. After spending far too much money on a flight, which ends up being delayed (and then cancelled), and with an expired hotel voucher/nowhere to sleep, she might just be at her wit’s end. Enter Jack, the handsome man who is also stranded and looking for a night of fun. Jack turns out to be Houghton, the groom’s best man, and an all around bad idea. Despite her best judgement, Ada agrees to team up with Jack as they planes, trains & automobiles their way to the wedding.

One of my favorite lesser used tropes is right person, wrong time, and Wedding Dashers did it so well. Ada and Jack’s lives are both falling to pieces, but in different ways. Ada’s eight year relationship is ending, but she’s also mourning the loss of her tattoo business. Living back at home with her mom and stepdad is not where she expected to be, and she certainly didn’t expect to be at odds with the person she’s always been closest to: her sister. Jack has his own demons he’s facing down (I won’t share as it’s a bit of a spoiler), and his coping methods mean he’s not here for a meaningful relationship. It would be easy to want them to just push their worries to the side and dive all in regardless, but I love how the author actually handled their relationship and growth as individuals. This was just a wonderful debut and I can’t wait to see what this author writes next.

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for a review copy.

Wedding Dashers by Heather McBreen reminded me of a fun, much sexier Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, but add a ferry, a cute romance, and an Irish castle wedding.
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Maid of Honor, Ada, and Best Man, Jack, are in a rush to get to the wedding in time, but everything seems to be conspiring against them arriving before the vows.
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In spite of some very negative preconceived notions about each other, the bride and groom, and the wedding, they ban together to find a way to the wedding at any cost in order not to disappoint those they love.
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Enemies to lovers, close proximity, single bed, all the fun tropes combined to make this a fun romp across Europe. This had a little twist away from the predictable that I particularly enjoyed.
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This entertaining trip with two “perfect for each other” main characters is out in the world today! Thanks @BerkleyPub for my advanced ecopy and the chance to visit Europe for a few pleasurable hours via McBreen’s clever words.

Heather has crafted something so fun and special with this story about two strangers, Ada and Jack, who meet when their flight to Belfast is canceled and they’re stranded in London for the night. After some drinking, flirting, and an almost one-night stand, they eventually find out that they’re attending the same wedding. And not only that, but Jack is the infamous best man she’s heard all about. Now with some tension added between them, they reluctantly decide to travel the rest of the way together.

As the trip progresses they realize how wrong their preconceived notions of one another were and learn more about each other on a deeper level.

Wedding Dashers has all of the best romcom vibes layered with emotion, angst, growth, and self discovery. I enjoyed it so much and can’t wait for what Heather writes next!

Thank you Berkley for the ARC! If you’re looking for a road trip romance with mistaken identity, bickering as foreplay, and strangers to dislike to lovers then I highly recommend picking this up!

Wedding Dashers, the debut novel by Heather McBreen, is out now! This is a heartfelt romance about rushing to get to a destination wedding, but running into travel mishaps at every turn. Ada and Jack—the maid of honor and best man, respectively—may have their own reservations about the upcoming wedding and about each other, but being stuck together as they travel across the UK, they find they have more in common than they first realized.

Why I Chose This Book:
I loved the idea of rushing across England and Scotland to get to a destination wedding in Belfast. My recent travels over the holidays actually mirrored some of what Ada and Jack go through in Wedding Dashers! This book looked like it would be a lot of fun. I wasn’t prepared for how emotional it would get!

What I Liked:
- Ada is so unlucky! And so broke! Girl, I feel you!
- Ada and Jack’s meet-cute… and how it all ends so badly lol
- Fun, chaotic, slightly stressful travel from London to Belfast. Trains and cars and ferries, oh my!
- The scenic route through the UK! Between destinations, they end up in Lancaster, Edinburgh, and
- Cairnryan along the way.
- Funny!
- But also emotional!
- What do YOU need in a relationship? Why do you stay with someone?
- Career goals and creativity
- Sister relationship
- Pizza pact
- Forced proximity

What Didn’t Work for Me:
- The destination wedding is in Belfast, which is in Northern Ireland, but the characters consistently just said Ireland. These are two different countries! Please be accurate about what country a major city is in!

Final Thoughts
I ended up loving Wedding Dashers so much more than I’d anticipated! It delivers a cute and funny romance with travel hijinks, but it’s also so heart-wrenching and profound. This is a story that I’ll remember and return to, and I look forward to reading more from Heather McBreen.

SYNOPSIS:
Ada is determined to make it to her sister’s wedding in Ireland despite their strained relationship, her tight budget, and a series of travel disasters that leave her stranded in London. Things go from bad to worse when the charming stranger she confides in turns out to be Jack—the infamous best man—and now, the two must navigate their rocky journey together while grappling with an undeniable attraction that could derail everything.

MY THOUGHTS:
Heather McBreen’s debut is an absolute delight! Ada and Jack’s first meeting had me hooked, especially the hilarious moment Ada discovers he’s the infamous best man. Their chemistry sizzles from the start, and their sharp, witty banter adds so much charm to the story.

Following their chaotic journey across the UK was a treat—every mishap and sticky situation felt like an adventure that brought them closer together. While the book is packed with laugh-out-loud moments, it also brims with heart. McBreen beautifully explores both characters’ emotional baggage, crafting Ada and Jack into deeply relatable, multidimensional protagonists. A fun, heartfelt read you won’t want to put down!

Thank you Berkley and NetGalley for an advanced copyin exchange for my honest review.

I figured out why this book is yellow, because it is PURE GOLD.

If you are looking for a book to make you feel all the things, this is it.

Wedding Dashers follows Ada as she travels to her little sister’s wedding in Ireland. Ada is not in a good place; she is broke, separated from her boyfriend of 8-years and alone when her flight gets cancelled on the way to her little sister’s wedding. After a stranger offers to buy her a drink, where Ada lets out all her worries… because she is never going to see him again… they realize they are headed to the same wedding.

Her sister has warned her about Jack; he is an infamous player and only good for a one-night stand. But as they travel together to Ireland and things continue to go wrong, Ada gets a peek under his tough exterior to the softy hiding inside. Ada isn’t one to take chances, but is Jack worth taking a chance on?

This was phenomenal and I don’t say that lightly. This book sucked me in from the very first page. The pacing was immaculate, and every page felt like something we needed to know. The banter was sharp; sexy and funny. I think McBreen perfectly captures the magic of travel but also how stressful it can be when things don’t go according to plan.

I fell so hard for Jack and Ada. Ada discovers Jack is a secret softy. He has had a painful adolescence and a rough few years; he is struggling. He has become a playboy to protect his broken heart. I loved Ada as well; her creativity, how hard she loves and her bravery.

This book felt like a love letter to sisterhood and the sometimes-difficult dynamic between big sisters and little sisters. As a big sister, I related so much to Ada and her desire to be a stable and consistent force in Allison’s life. She is very independent and is always the one to take care of other people. Watching Jack give Ada a safe place to land and take care of her during their trip was so special.

Their happily ever after is hard won and it made it even more satisfying. Jack and Ada grew so much; it makes my heart happy and confident they will stay together. I won’t say anymore to avoid spoilers.

TLDR: 5 stars. Phenomenal debut. Lots of annotations. Highly recommend. A new favorite.

Things:
•Single POV
•European road trip romance
•Memorable meet cute
•(almost) one night stand
•Tension (with a capital T)
•Vulnerable moments and talks
•Sisterhood

Thank you to Berkley Romance for the gifted copy; all thoughts are my own.

⭐️ 5/5
🌶️ 3/5

Happy pub day, @heathermcbreenwrites! I am so happy to have had the opportunity to read this page-turning debut!

Wedding Dashers is a forced proximity, road trip romance that starts out with a little case of mistaken identity and an almost one night stand. We have the pleasure of meeting two MCs who could oh so easily go from bickering to kissing like THAT! 🫰🏼And boy, do we have to wait for it! I LOVED EVERY MOMENT! From strangers to “enemies” to lovers, we see Ada and Jack at their best and worst on this trip filled with missteps and bouts of bad luck as they fight tooth and nail to make it to the wedding of Ada’s sister and Jack’s best friend.

With so many silly, goofy moments, I was pleasantly surprised to see the story balanced with great character growth. Both Ada and Jack are weighed down by the personal baggage they carry and it was hard to see their struggles come to a head. I loved to see these two learn to rely on one another, truly showing their special connection especially in those vulnerable moments.

This romance really showed how timing is everything. Fate just had something a little different in store for Ada and Jack and it was so heartwarming to see! We might have had a third act breakup (in the best way possible), but yall, we love a full circle, swoon-worthy ending! 🥰

Thank you @berkleyromance for the advanced copy!

4.5 stars!

what a debut!

A hilarious and heartfelt rom-com! It starts with a case of mistaken identity that leads to a banter-filled road trip as Ada & Jack, through of series of mishaps and bad luck, race to make their way to Belfast for a wedding.

These two bickered so much and I adored every second of it! it was basically them flirting despite acting like they didn't particularly like each other. So much chemistry (!!!), and a slow build up of tension that made for such a delicious slow-burn.

While this does focus mainly on Ada & Jack and their road trip, I do love that they also had other things going on in their personal lives that helped to give the characters a bit more depth, and a bit more backstory. They were both fantastic characters, and I couldn't help but root for them.

Despite the whirlwind four days they spent travelling together, and how quickly they developed feelings, the author did such a wonderful job of still making this realistic and believable. Those last few chapters had me sobbing a bit. I loved it!

The writing was fantastic! The author's humour was right up my alley and actually had me cackling a few times. I am already so excited to see what she writes next!

also, big fan of Smartwater. ;)

Wait, what?! This is a debut?! I didn’t know until I after I finished, and I thought I was reading/listening to the writings of someone who had been on the scene for ages with multiple publications. There is so much wit, chemistry, depth, and entertainment, that made it completely bingeworthy. I loved the characters and their personal conflict and development, and the road trip shenanigans that brought them close. The whole premise of this story was so much fun. Definitely an easy 5 star, I was sad when it ended! I can’t wait to see what else Heather McBreen has in store!

Read/listen if you like ⇣
•Strangers to enemies to lovers
•Mistaken identity
•European road trip
•Destination wedding
•The best banter
•Forced proximity
•Only one bed
•Slow burn
•Single POV
•Spice

Thank you Berkley Romance for the ARC!

“I can’t decide if you’re a rom-com hero or the villain in a lifetime movie”

Thank you for the free book Berkley Romance #berkley #berkleypartner All opinions are my own.

If I had to describe the vibe of this one, I’d say that it is sweet with the perfect amount of slowburn spice and hijinx. For a debut, it is nothing short of perfection and I can’t wait to see what Heather McBreen writes next!

When the connecting flight to her sister’s wedding gets canceled Ada is stranded until a fellow passenger offers to share his room. But unbeknownst to Ada, the handsome and generous stranger turns out to be the womanizing best man that she's been warned to stay away from -- and his misunderstanding of Ada’s room-sharing intentions is not helping her to change that opinion. Now the two are thrust together on a journey full of hilarious mishaps including a missed train, an awkward bed and breakfast and a very “special blanket”.

Wedding Dashers is so well done. The writing is both smart and funny and I enjoyed how the more emotional moments are balanced with humor and wit. The chemistry between Jack and Ada is also very strong. I loved that they are both at places of growth in their life and that neither is trying to push the other into something that they aren’t ready for. They trust each other and are vulnerable when they need to be but most importantly, they understand that finding the right person at the wrong time doesn’t mean that the timing will never be right. It just means that they will have to have faith and the patience to let things happen when they are meant to be.

I absolutely loved the way this story came together. If you are a fan of rom-coms then this is definitely one that you should not miss!

Read if you like:
✩ Mistaken Identity
✩ Travel Romance
✩ One Bed
✩ Some spice
✩ Slow burn
✩ Great chemistry
✩ Forbidden romance

This was one of the cutest romcoms I’ve ever read! The romance between Jack and Ada was pretty realistic and paced nicely! Both Jack and Ada grew so much through the entirety of the book and worked on themselves so much! Jack is the greenest of flags! Ada is so witty! I can’t wait to buy a physical copy when it comes out! Thank you NetGalley!

A debut author? You're kidding me, right? The book had me actually laughing out loud. The banter is hilarious between our two main characters with a mistaken identity but when they find out who each other are, ooops! The ooops makes for awkward and embarrassing moments and the conversations are dynamic. The sparks absolutely fly in this romantic comedy you're sure to love as much as I did.
Between lack of money, misunderstandings, vehicle breakdowns, hotel problems, missed flights and more I couldn't stop laughing. All this made for an unputdownable debut book that had me rolling. This is an author to keep an eye on.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

After a case of mistaken identity and an almost one-night stand, two stranded wedding guests have to find their way to their final destination together, in this riotously fun debut romance.

WHAT A PITCH! I knew the second I heard the premise that I’d enjoy this book. What I didn’t expect was for Heather to set a new standard for all the books I read. I don’t think I’ve ever laughed out loud as many times as I did in this book, and I was melting for Jack and Ada in this slowburn romance that PAYS OFF!

I still don’t understand how I tricked such an incredible writer into being one of my CPs, but I’m so honored to have had a front row seat to Heather’s journey, and I can’t wait until it’s out in the world so I can fangirl with y’all!