Rating: 83% | B- | ★★★★
Synopsis (from NetGalley): It’s official: Zoey Marks is the cursed bridesmaid that no engagement can survive. Ten years, three empire waist dresses, and ZERO brides have walked down the aisle. After strike three, Zoey is left wondering if her own ambivalence towards marriage has rubbed off on those she loves. And when her building distrust of matrimony culminates in turning down a proposal from her perfect All-American boyfriend, Rylan Harper III, she and Rylan are both left heartbroken, leaving Zoey to wonder: what is it exactly about tying the knot that makes her want to run in the opposite direction? Enter Hannah Green: Zoey’s best friend, who announces that she’s marrying a guy she just met (cue eye roll). At a castle. In gorgeous, romantic Ireland, where Rylan will be in attendance, and Zoey will be a bridesmaid. It’ll be fine. Okay, the woman definition of fine (NOT FINE). Determined to turn her luck around, Zoey accepts her role and vows to get Hannah down the aisle—all the while praying her best friend’s wedded bliss will allow her to embrace marriage and get Rylan back. But as the weekend goes on, Zoey is plagued with more questions than answers. Can you be a free spirit, yet still want a certain future? Can you have love and be loved on your terms? And how DO you wrangle a bossy falcon into doing your bidding? Non-Spoiler Review: Bad Luck Bridesmaid proves itself to be a clever, heartfelt contemporary romance despite being off-kilter at times. It is a novel that feels incredibly modern, not in the least because of its topical Taylor Swift references (and I agree, Allison Rose Greenberg, that Taylor Swift's Red album is the perfect soundtrack to cry to) and its frank discussion of marriage. As someone who does want to get married some day, this book made me reflect more seriously on that future aspiration and what it truly means. The protagonist, Zoey, is a genuine heroine for whom readers will root . . . for at least 70% of her decisions. Indeed, while she is complex in a believable way, Greenberg glosses over some of her poorer decisions in the latter half of the novel in a "sweep-the-evidence-under-the-rug" way. Moreover, Zoey's character feels deeply underdeveloped at times—Zoey frequently refers to the lingering sense that "she does not fit in" throughout the novel, yet it's unclear precisely why she feels that way. Zoey's primary love interest, Rylan, is equally frustrating; in the end, I didn't really enjoy reading about these two characters, nor did I truly want to. The writing is both beautiful and confusing. The premise of the story is executed shakily, with the pacing in the first third of the novel pinballing between slow and fast; the main conflict does not arise until about 100 pages in. And while the frequent pop culture references are charming, the sheer frequency of them stifles true discussion of Zoey's character as well as her inner monologue. I also wasn't expecting the second half of the novel to be so similar to One Night Only by Catherine Walsh (which I reviewed here) and couldn't help feeling a little jaded as I read it (which is no fault of Greenberg's). But aside from these few issues, I felt a true connection to Greenberg's writing. There are multiple lines I highlighted—beautiful, hilarious, and all-around clever lines—that I plan to go back to later. Ultimately, Bad Luck Bridesmaid is a solid, if a little hit-or-miss novel that strengthens the emerging millennial confessional fiction sub-genre. Bad Luck Bridesmaid is out January 11, 2022. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
ReviewsThe Ice Swan
For the Wolf Must Love Books People We Meet on Vacation The Spanish Love Deception The Dating Game One Night Only We Are the Brennans A Letter to Three Witches It Ends with Us When Sparks Fly A Far Wilder Magic Bad Luck Bridesmaid Always, in December Kingdom of the Cursed Bibliophile: Diverse Spines Five Tuesdays in Winter The Ex Hex An Heiress's Guide to Deception and Desire How to Love Your Neighbor On a Night Like This Birds of California Beautiful World, Where Are You The Rebound The Best Books of 2021 |