What do you think?
Die Braut, der man nicht traut
Zu unserer Hochzeit laden wir herzlich aus.
Nach sechs Jahren in New York kehrt Polly zurück nach London, und sie hat Großes vor: Polly wird endlich ihren Traummann Dev heiraten! Pollys Schwester Bella kribbelt es schon in den Fingern, denn ihre kleine Cateringfirma wird für das Hochzeitsessen sorgen. Auch Grace freut sich für ihre beste Freundin. Doch dann bläst die Braut das Fest aus heiterem Himmel ab. Wovor hat Polly plötzlich Panik bekommen? Bella und Grace stehen vor einem Rätsel. Dabei haben sie selbst ganz andere Sorgen. Als Ehefrau und Mutter fühlt Grace sich nicht so ausgefüllt wie erhofft. Und Bella wünscht sich nichts sehnlicher, als ein Kind zu adoptieren. Aber ihr Freund Jamie ist irgendwie nicht so recht bei der Sache ...
Nach sechs Jahren in New York kehrt Polly zurück nach London, und sie hat Großes vor: Polly wird endlich ihren Traummann Dev heiraten! Pollys Schwester Bella kribbelt es schon in den Fingern, denn ihre kleine Cateringfirma wird für das Hochzeitsessen sorgen. Auch Grace freut sich für ihre beste Freundin. Doch dann bläst die Braut das Fest aus heiterem Himmel ab. Wovor hat Polly plötzlich Panik bekommen? Bella und Grace stehen vor einem Rätsel. Dabei haben sie selbst ganz andere Sorgen. Als Ehefrau und Mutter fühlt Grace sich nicht so ausgefüllt wie erhofft. Und Bella wünscht sich nichts sehnlicher, als ein Kind zu adoptieren. Aber ihr Freund Jamie ist irgendwie nicht so recht bei der Sache ...
512 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
About the author
Holly McQueen
12 books60 followersHolly McQueen has wanted to be a writer ever since discovering that the nuns at her junior school would let her off maths homework if she wrote a story instead. After unexpected detours via law, magazine journalism, and even musical theatre, she began writing her first novel in 2006. Holly lives with her husband in London. She still avoids math.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
May 28, 2012
Why does everyone else seem to have the perfect life?
Friends as close as Bella, Grace, and Polly should be able to tell each other everything. Right now, they are not telling each other anything especially Polly who has decided at the last minute to not get married. She has come home to London only to reveal that there is something wrong but don’t ask what it is because she is not talking.
Bella is trying to help her sister Polly by getting her back together with the fiancé. All this while working through her issues with “the boyfriend” as he tells her he wants to be with her and supports her he never around when she needs him the most.
Grace is a young mother of two trying to fit in to a place she has never belonged, married to a man she believed was going to love her for life. When the dreams of youth become the reality of married life Grace finds companionship and the affection she is starved for in the arms of another man. The guilt she feels over this deception is unbearable but the attention the man pays her out of bed as well as in overwhelms her with fulfillment.
Polly is the center of everyone’s attention and trying to establish what went wrong the drove her upcoming nuptials off the track. She won’t talk, refuses to see the befuddled fiancé, and does her best to avoid seeing anyone that cares about her. Polly has always been the levelheaded one and now that her life is crumbling around her, it seems to be pulling everyone that loves her into the quick sand with her.
Holly McQueen can tell a tale by drawing the reader into the story so completely it feels as what is happening somehow involves you. The characters are flawed and perfect at the same time due to real life issues they are dealing with. We want love to last forever but will it?
Friends as close as Bella, Grace, and Polly should be able to tell each other everything. Right now, they are not telling each other anything especially Polly who has decided at the last minute to not get married. She has come home to London only to reveal that there is something wrong but don’t ask what it is because she is not talking.
Bella is trying to help her sister Polly by getting her back together with the fiancé. All this while working through her issues with “the boyfriend” as he tells her he wants to be with her and supports her he never around when she needs him the most.
Grace is a young mother of two trying to fit in to a place she has never belonged, married to a man she believed was going to love her for life. When the dreams of youth become the reality of married life Grace finds companionship and the affection she is starved for in the arms of another man. The guilt she feels over this deception is unbearable but the attention the man pays her out of bed as well as in overwhelms her with fulfillment.
Polly is the center of everyone’s attention and trying to establish what went wrong the drove her upcoming nuptials off the track. She won’t talk, refuses to see the befuddled fiancé, and does her best to avoid seeing anyone that cares about her. Polly has always been the levelheaded one and now that her life is crumbling around her, it seems to be pulling everyone that loves her into the quick sand with her.
Holly McQueen can tell a tale by drawing the reader into the story so completely it feels as what is happening somehow involves you. The characters are flawed and perfect at the same time due to real life issues they are dealing with. We want love to last forever but will it?
August 11, 2020
The very first message I received when I read this book: We always want what we don't have. This was written very clearly in There Goes the Bride (mainly the story was from the bride's sister and bride's best friend point of view) where Bella wanted what Grace had (children), while Grace envy what Bella had (success in doing what she loved). I kinda love their inner monologues though they cracked me every time haha.
June 22, 2011
I like Holly McQueen. I loved her Isabel Bookbinder books, because they reminded me of Sophie Kinsella. They were funny, they were warm and although they were a bit daft sometimes, I generally enjoyed all three of Isabel’s novels. So when I heard Holly’s new book was not an Isabel book I was worried – after all, Holly does Isabel well and even though I thought Confetti Confidential was only OK, I’d have still happily read a fourth Isabel novel. However I liked the sound of There Goes The Bride and was pleased that it finally arrived – only a month of so late (thanks Spanish post!). It was my weekend reading, but sadly it failed to impress me.
I hate writing bad reviews. Truly hate it. There’s nothing worse. I like Holly, she’s a lovely person and the last thing I want to do is offend her, especially since she’s a fellow Manchester United fan, but There Goes The Bride didn’t hit the mark for me. It may be almost 500 pages long, but I didn’t feel that anything actually happened. I’m sure things did happen, but it felt as if nothing happened. It was like, here are a few plots, lets chuck them in and see where they go… and they went nowhere. I thought the book would be all about Polly and her big secret as to why she couldn’t marry Dev, but surprisingly that takes a backseat. To what? You ask, well to Bella (Polly’s sister) trying to adopt a child and Grace (Polly’s best friend) contemplating cheating on her husband. There weren’t many pages dedicated to Polly and Dev and their crumbling relationship, certainly not enough for the synopsis to revolve around Polly.
What was worse, is that Bella, Grace and Polly were all like wet weekends. Bella was consistently whinging about her boyfriend Jamie and his lack of interest in the adoption process, without actually doing anything about it – going so far as to ‘let him’ go to a Manchester United match when the adoption social worker comes around. That didn’t wash with me because surely, surely, surely both of the people interested in the adoption has to be present for the initial – and subsequent – visits? A social worker’s hardly going to be OK with only dealing with one half of the couple. Grace went on and on and on about how patronising her husband Charlie was without doing anything about it. Don’t get me wrong, Charlie was horribly patronising but it was up to Grace to do something about it instead of fawning over someone else. Then there was Polly, who snapped at everybody who asked her about why she called off her wedding. I get it, it’s her life, it’s her right to do whatever the hell she likes, but I’m sorry, if your sister has been planning most of the wedding for you, you might have the decency about you to tell her why it’s off. I thought she was selfish.
I’m quite disappointed, because I expected a lot more. I expected a ‘Runaway Bride’ sort of plot, not what I got. I wanted my characters to have more backbone. I shouldn’t get annoyed by the main characters, I should be on their side, want them to succeed. I didn’t care for Polly, I didn’t care for Grace, and after a while I didn’t care for Bella. The men weren’t much better. Even Liam, a widower, wasn’t someone I liked. Describing someone as a hairy monkey is not going to appeal to me in any kind of way, especially if he’s meant to be a hero of the novel. To add insult in injury, the book didn’t even make me laugh! Not once. Every Isabel book made me laugh, but there was nothing funny about There Goes The Bride. I’m really gutted, I expected more, I expected something different. The ending doesn’t even redeem it in the slightest, because it showed that Polly is one of the most selfish, horrible characters I’ve ever come across. What made it worse was Grace and Bella’s justification for it. If I’d enjoyed the novel up to then, that would have turned me off completely. I wanted to enjoy There Goes The Bride but it wasn’t for me. It happens, sadly.
I hate writing bad reviews. Truly hate it. There’s nothing worse. I like Holly, she’s a lovely person and the last thing I want to do is offend her, especially since she’s a fellow Manchester United fan, but There Goes The Bride didn’t hit the mark for me. It may be almost 500 pages long, but I didn’t feel that anything actually happened. I’m sure things did happen, but it felt as if nothing happened. It was like, here are a few plots, lets chuck them in and see where they go… and they went nowhere. I thought the book would be all about Polly and her big secret as to why she couldn’t marry Dev, but surprisingly that takes a backseat. To what? You ask, well to Bella (Polly’s sister) trying to adopt a child and Grace (Polly’s best friend) contemplating cheating on her husband. There weren’t many pages dedicated to Polly and Dev and their crumbling relationship, certainly not enough for the synopsis to revolve around Polly.
What was worse, is that Bella, Grace and Polly were all like wet weekends. Bella was consistently whinging about her boyfriend Jamie and his lack of interest in the adoption process, without actually doing anything about it – going so far as to ‘let him’ go to a Manchester United match when the adoption social worker comes around. That didn’t wash with me because surely, surely, surely both of the people interested in the adoption has to be present for the initial – and subsequent – visits? A social worker’s hardly going to be OK with only dealing with one half of the couple. Grace went on and on and on about how patronising her husband Charlie was without doing anything about it. Don’t get me wrong, Charlie was horribly patronising but it was up to Grace to do something about it instead of fawning over someone else. Then there was Polly, who snapped at everybody who asked her about why she called off her wedding. I get it, it’s her life, it’s her right to do whatever the hell she likes, but I’m sorry, if your sister has been planning most of the wedding for you, you might have the decency about you to tell her why it’s off. I thought she was selfish.
I’m quite disappointed, because I expected a lot more. I expected a ‘Runaway Bride’ sort of plot, not what I got. I wanted my characters to have more backbone. I shouldn’t get annoyed by the main characters, I should be on their side, want them to succeed. I didn’t care for Polly, I didn’t care for Grace, and after a while I didn’t care for Bella. The men weren’t much better. Even Liam, a widower, wasn’t someone I liked. Describing someone as a hairy monkey is not going to appeal to me in any kind of way, especially if he’s meant to be a hero of the novel. To add insult in injury, the book didn’t even make me laugh! Not once. Every Isabel book made me laugh, but there was nothing funny about There Goes The Bride. I’m really gutted, I expected more, I expected something different. The ending doesn’t even redeem it in the slightest, because it showed that Polly is one of the most selfish, horrible characters I’ve ever come across. What made it worse was Grace and Bella’s justification for it. If I’d enjoyed the novel up to then, that would have turned me off completely. I wanted to enjoy There Goes The Bride but it wasn’t for me. It happens, sadly.
May 6, 2011
Actually, I don't know what to say about this book. It was a nice reading about nothing. The real action started for me in the last quarter of the book. And all the women in this book were like... I don't know, like slaves? Especially Grace, I have pitied her and was almost always angry with her, she let her husband to bully her so much and she couldn't defend herself in any situation... This secret that Polly had and revealed at the end of the book - well, I have expected almost a bomb, and it was just...average. And Bella and her boyfriend... Especially her boyfriend... It was all too simple and schematic: poor woman, hanging on her boyfriend/husband who is cheating on her/doesn't love her/prefers football. Thanks God that Bella has had her own company at least. And was this book about Polly? I don't have a feeling that I know Polly at all, I know Vanessa better than her.
What I want to say is that this book was not a bad reading. Of course the happy ending was very easy to predict and with all my antipathy and pity feeling to Grace I am happy that she got this, what she got. She deserves it. But she was a little to weak character for me. It was a nice lecture, easy to read, not too complicated.
What I want to say is that this book was not a bad reading. Of course the happy ending was very easy to predict and with all my antipathy and pity feeling to Grace I am happy that she got this, what she got. She deserves it. But she was a little to weak character for me. It was a nice lecture, easy to read, not too complicated.
June 9, 2024
3.5 stars.
I have very mixed feelings about this one, which is, by the way, my first book from this author. Don’t get me wrong, I liked this book and it helped me while away the time during a nine hour stopover at the airport on my way back from my holiday - but I just found it to be incredibly misleading. The book is called “there goes the bride” and the synopsis is all about how Polly has cancelled her wedding for some unknown reason. I liked that it was told through the perspectives of her best friend and her sister, but I almost felt like the whole story with Polly and her wedding took a backseat to the stories of the toxic relationships both of them were in. So I liked the storylines BUT I felt like for a book called “there goes the bride” the wedding was almost like an afterthought, which was just strange.
But I like McQueen’s writing and I look forward to maybe reading another of her books in the future…
I have very mixed feelings about this one, which is, by the way, my first book from this author. Don’t get me wrong, I liked this book and it helped me while away the time during a nine hour stopover at the airport on my way back from my holiday - but I just found it to be incredibly misleading. The book is called “there goes the bride” and the synopsis is all about how Polly has cancelled her wedding for some unknown reason. I liked that it was told through the perspectives of her best friend and her sister, but I almost felt like the whole story with Polly and her wedding took a backseat to the stories of the toxic relationships both of them were in. So I liked the storylines BUT I felt like for a book called “there goes the bride” the wedding was almost like an afterthought, which was just strange.
But I like McQueen’s writing and I look forward to maybe reading another of her books in the future…
July 7, 2012
I liked the description of the plot more than the actual book. It certainly wasn't what I was expecting. Instead of being about Polly calling off her wedding, it was about her sister Bella and her friend Grace and their problems. Problems being mainly the men in their lives that they don't seem to do anything about. I found it frustrating. Also, for 400 pages, not that much really happened. At least, it felt that way and I found the ending a bit unsatisfying.
August 11, 2012
This book was a bit heavier than the frothy fun read I expected, touching on serious themes of divorce, infidelity and betrayal. Also it did not focus on the runaway bride but on her sister and her best friend. The ultimate resolution was easy to predict. Still, I have a weakness for books set in London. I enjoyed reading it and laughed out loud at one particular line.
July 25, 2014
It was a fun read but I enjoyed her Isabel series so much more. They were clever and witty. I laughed and cheered for Isabel even though I knew everything was going to catch up with her but that was also part of the reason you kept reading. This was good, but more predictable. Still, worth reading...
February 3, 2017
Loved it! Too bad Holly McQueen hasn't written again ever since. I especially love the Grace story line. The only thing I'm complaining is that how it was toned down . But I love the rest of the story :)
April 1, 2014
I liked this one. The writing was smooth and kept me interested. Although at times I didn't like some of the characters, there always redeemed themselves. And there were a couple of points where I snorted out loud with laughter. Humorous and warm.
June 25, 2011
A little more serious than the Isabella Bookbinder series, but still funny and witty. A good, solid, brit-chick lit author.
April 6, 2020
I didn’t have high expectations of a second-hand ten year old book that I found in a corner store giveaway pile, so I guess I wasn’t disappointed. Follows several self-absorbed women who aren’t nasty enough to be the mean-mummies of 10 years ago but are wrapped enough in themselves to have affairs with strangers. The author does do a good job of holding out to the end before revealing why Polly cancelled her wedding. If you care enough to get to that point. Which I guess I did (but I’m also in isolation because of the Covid-19 virus). A few laughs though.
December 7, 2022
Un romanzo irresistibile che parla di sentimenti, invidia e amore in tutte le proprie sfaccettature. Coinvolgente anche perché le protagoniste parlano direttamente al lettore e fino alla fine lascia in suspance per districare un piccolo mistero.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 6, 2017
This was definitely a page turner. loved the characters Bella, Polly & Grace.
January 18, 2019
Very cute and entertaining read. Would pick up another book by Holly McQueen!
March 30, 2019
Brilliant
I love the way this is written and the story ties up everything for the reader. Loved this book , made me smile and cry
I love the way this is written and the story ties up everything for the reader. Loved this book , made me smile and cry
May 30, 2012
I happened to LOVE this book! I thought it was very thorough, a good plot, and very entertaining. The characters were very enjoyable and I felt like I really knew who they were. This is a very enjoyable story as I laughed out loud in so many places! Holly McQueen throws in humor in the least expected places! You laugh hard at the time, but later in the day when you think of that same scene in the book again, you are laughing at it again even harder! She has a gifted talent with comedy throughout this story.
Each character talks in the first-person narrative, so we get to hear what they are thinking in all of the different situations that we are presented with, kind of like 'insider information'. It can be tricky for an author to write this way, yet she easily pulled it off with these different characters! Wow! I enjoyed this story more than very much! LOVED it! As well as her writing in this book makes me want to read her other books she has written, which are all listed below under 'about the author'!
There will be no 'Here Comes the Bride', nor 'Happily Ever After' going on in this story for Polly Atkins! At least not now that she's called her wedding OFF! Yes! That's right! She has decided to leave her fiance', Dev, at the altar! (In plenty of time so he won't literally be standing there, in case you were wondering!) Polly still flies back home to London during the Christmas holidays, as her wedding was to take place on New Year's Eve, but she is breaking up with her fiance'. She has kept they reason 'why' she called the wedding off to herself, and is keeping him, Dev, at arm's length away as well. She wants to break up with him. No one can understand why Polly would do such a thing because they all seem to think that Dev is the perfect guy for her.
Let's meet Polly's sister, Bella Atkins. She is up in arms! She's frantic! She cannot believe her own sister has done this and she is very upset, to say the least, especially since she has been playing the 'unofficial' Wedding Planner for Polly. Bella cannot believe this has happened, and she stoops to some low levels to try to figure out WHY she has called the wedding off, including hacking into Polly's email account. To make matters worse, Polly won't even talk to Bella, nor give her a reason as to 'why' she has done this. Bella calls Polly's actions 'Faffiness'.
Along with the event of the wedding, another event that Bella has been working on is trying to adopt a baby, well, a child. A "child" is really the word she says she should use instead of "a baby", she convinces herself, worried that a slip-up such as that may put off the Adoption Agency's Representative and they may not allow her to adopt after all. Another big problem she has is her boyfriend, Jamie, as he is not showing up for these really important appointments Bella has with the adoption agency. Jamie says out loud that he does want to adopt a child with Bella, but she can't help but feel his actions are showing her differently. Bella gets all worried about how this all looks to the Adoption Agency. Not only that, but this is where we get to meet Liam. Wow! We REALLY get to meet Liam! That story I will leave for you to find out about!
Then we have Grace. Grace is married to Charlie and their marriage isn't very secure, so they have plenty of their own problems to deal with, along with a couple of young sons. These two seem to be each going in their own direction, not together as they should be.
So as Bella and Grace try to fix and/or help Polly, just like the synopsis of this book says, solving someone else's problems can be easier than fixing your own. Polly still does not budge, and they are trying to think of any and everything as to why she would throw this all away. She has the best man in the world for her, and still no answers. These two stop at nothing! They are bound and determined to get to the bottom of this and fix it, no matter what it takes!
And HOW does this story end? That's up to YOU to read and find out! No matter how this story ends for Polly, happy or sad, or just as she wanted, you WON'T be disappointed! This was a GREAT book!
I HIGHLY recommend reading this book! As I said above, I LOVED this book! It will make a great summer read for you, not to mention you'll be able to go on vacation to London in it! Enjoy!
FTC REGULATIONS COMPLIANCE LAW:
I received this book for FREE from the Publisher, Atria Books, a Division of Simon and Schuster, Inc., in exchange to read this book and write a review about it. It is NOT required for this review to be either positive or negative, but, of my own honest opinion. “Free” means I was NOT provided with ANY MONIES to read this book nor to write this review, but to enjoy the pure pleasure of reading it. I am disclosing this information in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/wa...
Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
Each character talks in the first-person narrative, so we get to hear what they are thinking in all of the different situations that we are presented with, kind of like 'insider information'. It can be tricky for an author to write this way, yet she easily pulled it off with these different characters! Wow! I enjoyed this story more than very much! LOVED it! As well as her writing in this book makes me want to read her other books she has written, which are all listed below under 'about the author'!
There will be no 'Here Comes the Bride', nor 'Happily Ever After' going on in this story for Polly Atkins! At least not now that she's called her wedding OFF! Yes! That's right! She has decided to leave her fiance', Dev, at the altar! (In plenty of time so he won't literally be standing there, in case you were wondering!) Polly still flies back home to London during the Christmas holidays, as her wedding was to take place on New Year's Eve, but she is breaking up with her fiance'. She has kept they reason 'why' she called the wedding off to herself, and is keeping him, Dev, at arm's length away as well. She wants to break up with him. No one can understand why Polly would do such a thing because they all seem to think that Dev is the perfect guy for her.
Let's meet Polly's sister, Bella Atkins. She is up in arms! She's frantic! She cannot believe her own sister has done this and she is very upset, to say the least, especially since she has been playing the 'unofficial' Wedding Planner for Polly. Bella cannot believe this has happened, and she stoops to some low levels to try to figure out WHY she has called the wedding off, including hacking into Polly's email account. To make matters worse, Polly won't even talk to Bella, nor give her a reason as to 'why' she has done this. Bella calls Polly's actions 'Faffiness'.
Along with the event of the wedding, another event that Bella has been working on is trying to adopt a baby, well, a child. A "child" is really the word she says she should use instead of "a baby", she convinces herself, worried that a slip-up such as that may put off the Adoption Agency's Representative and they may not allow her to adopt after all. Another big problem she has is her boyfriend, Jamie, as he is not showing up for these really important appointments Bella has with the adoption agency. Jamie says out loud that he does want to adopt a child with Bella, but she can't help but feel his actions are showing her differently. Bella gets all worried about how this all looks to the Adoption Agency. Not only that, but this is where we get to meet Liam. Wow! We REALLY get to meet Liam! That story I will leave for you to find out about!
Then we have Grace. Grace is married to Charlie and their marriage isn't very secure, so they have plenty of their own problems to deal with, along with a couple of young sons. These two seem to be each going in their own direction, not together as they should be.
So as Bella and Grace try to fix and/or help Polly, just like the synopsis of this book says, solving someone else's problems can be easier than fixing your own. Polly still does not budge, and they are trying to think of any and everything as to why she would throw this all away. She has the best man in the world for her, and still no answers. These two stop at nothing! They are bound and determined to get to the bottom of this and fix it, no matter what it takes!
And HOW does this story end? That's up to YOU to read and find out! No matter how this story ends for Polly, happy or sad, or just as she wanted, you WON'T be disappointed! This was a GREAT book!
I HIGHLY recommend reading this book! As I said above, I LOVED this book! It will make a great summer read for you, not to mention you'll be able to go on vacation to London in it! Enjoy!
FTC REGULATIONS COMPLIANCE LAW:
I received this book for FREE from the Publisher, Atria Books, a Division of Simon and Schuster, Inc., in exchange to read this book and write a review about it. It is NOT required for this review to be either positive or negative, but, of my own honest opinion. “Free” means I was NOT provided with ANY MONIES to read this book nor to write this review, but to enjoy the pure pleasure of reading it. I am disclosing this information in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/wa...
Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
August 4, 2012
(This review was originally posted on Alexa Loves Books)
Reading chick lit is one of my favorite things to do, especially when I need a break from my fantasy novels or issue books. There Goes the Bride is a fun chick lit novel, featuring multiple character narration and exhibiting a distinctly British flavor.
This book is about Polly, but then again, it’s also not about Polly. The fact that she breaks off her engagement to the apparent love of her life is definitely one of the most important events in this novel, but she’s never actually the true focus of this story. Instead, the event becomes a catalyst in the lives of her older sister Bella and her best friend Grace – and we watch as everything unfolds quite organically.
Bella is the older sister who means well when she butts into planning Polly’s wedding, and then when that falls apart, Polly’s reunion with her fiancé. Her character was extremely easy for me to relate to because I’m an older sister as well, and I could totally see myself butting into my sisters’ lives if I thought it would do them some good.
However, with Bella, she doesn’t even give her own life a second glance until this crazy situation with Polly forces her into it. We see how she’s clinging on to the unhealthiest of relationships simply because she doesn’t want to have any heartbreak; this doesn’t help her need to settle down and raise a family. It’s fascinating to watch how she can have so much to say about Polly’s errant situation, but refuses to really focus on her own until things come to a head.
Grace, on the other hand, struck me as a character that sounds young and posh. Unlike Bella, she’s married with two kids and raising her little family as best she can. Like Bella, however, she’s also settling for things without realizing that she’s neglecting herself. While I didn’t find her as relatable as Bella, I did find the way she ended up challenging the limits placed on her (and mostly by her own self) interesting. I would never have done what she did, but I can see where she’d think it was a logical course of action.
These two women are completely different, and yet their stories are intertwined through their relationship with Polly. I love how the author was able to weave their individual tales together so well, as I never felt confused or shocked by the shift in POV. Plus, it was also helpful to have Polly’s own emails included in the narration, as we get hints of her side of the story!
And as everything finally came to light – for all three characters – I felt a very big sense of relief and satisfaction. Things played out in a way that pleased me, and I needed that kind of ending at the time I was reading this book. I will say that the big revelation was quite a shock to me though!
All in all, There Goes the Bride is not your typical novel about a bride who gets cold feet, backs out of a wedding and all because of some deliciously scandalous secret. In fact, this novel is not even about the bride at all but about two of the most important women in her life and their individual journeys to finally arrive at a point where they are sweetly satisfied with the people in and the state of their lives.
Reading chick lit is one of my favorite things to do, especially when I need a break from my fantasy novels or issue books. There Goes the Bride is a fun chick lit novel, featuring multiple character narration and exhibiting a distinctly British flavor.
This book is about Polly, but then again, it’s also not about Polly. The fact that she breaks off her engagement to the apparent love of her life is definitely one of the most important events in this novel, but she’s never actually the true focus of this story. Instead, the event becomes a catalyst in the lives of her older sister Bella and her best friend Grace – and we watch as everything unfolds quite organically.
Bella is the older sister who means well when she butts into planning Polly’s wedding, and then when that falls apart, Polly’s reunion with her fiancé. Her character was extremely easy for me to relate to because I’m an older sister as well, and I could totally see myself butting into my sisters’ lives if I thought it would do them some good.
However, with Bella, she doesn’t even give her own life a second glance until this crazy situation with Polly forces her into it. We see how she’s clinging on to the unhealthiest of relationships simply because she doesn’t want to have any heartbreak; this doesn’t help her need to settle down and raise a family. It’s fascinating to watch how she can have so much to say about Polly’s errant situation, but refuses to really focus on her own until things come to a head.
Grace, on the other hand, struck me as a character that sounds young and posh. Unlike Bella, she’s married with two kids and raising her little family as best she can. Like Bella, however, she’s also settling for things without realizing that she’s neglecting herself. While I didn’t find her as relatable as Bella, I did find the way she ended up challenging the limits placed on her (and mostly by her own self) interesting. I would never have done what she did, but I can see where she’d think it was a logical course of action.
These two women are completely different, and yet their stories are intertwined through their relationship with Polly. I love how the author was able to weave their individual tales together so well, as I never felt confused or shocked by the shift in POV. Plus, it was also helpful to have Polly’s own emails included in the narration, as we get hints of her side of the story!
And as everything finally came to light – for all three characters – I felt a very big sense of relief and satisfaction. Things played out in a way that pleased me, and I needed that kind of ending at the time I was reading this book. I will say that the big revelation was quite a shock to me though!
All in all, There Goes the Bride is not your typical novel about a bride who gets cold feet, backs out of a wedding and all because of some deliciously scandalous secret. In fact, this novel is not even about the bride at all but about two of the most important women in her life and their individual journeys to finally arrive at a point where they are sweetly satisfied with the people in and the state of their lives.
October 2, 2016
loved this book....tried to guess the ending but got it wrong. 3 strong female perspectives ...all 3 lovable
June 13, 2012
My summer vacation read was the newly-released There Goes the Bride by Holly McQueen. What a great choice it turned out to be!
From the back cover:
Polly Atkins, a Londoner living in New York City, is headed back across the pond for her wedding, a grand affair that has her older sister, Bella, in a whirlwind of excitement. Bella can't wait to take over the wedding plans - and neither can Polly's best friend, Grace, whose life as a wife, housekeeper, and mother is making her feel older than her twenty-eight years. She's desperate to see Polly settle down in the same city - and the same life.
The only one who isn't bursting with enthusiasm is Polly. Which is why, before things can get any more chaotic, she calls the whole thing off and lets go of the most perfect man on the planet. There's no way that Polly is going to tell anyone why she's changed her mind. Some secrets are best kept hidden. But Grace and Bella are determined to get Polly and her fiance back together if it's the last thing they do. After all, solving someone else's problems has got to be better than dealing with your own...
Told from the points of view of both Bella and Grace, who love Polly dearly but mistrust each other deeply, this is a great story with sympathetic, believable characters and plenty of plot twists to keep you turning the pages. Bella's live-in boyfriend, Jamie, consistently lets her down at the most important times; Grace's marriage to Charlie has become a loveless, sexless sham, that she is struggling to keep together for the sake of their two young sons. Which explains why both women are utterly devastated when it appears that Polly isn't going to get her happily-ever-after with her dashing Dev. And what is most confusing is that no one - not even Polly's fiance - can get to the bottom of why she breaks off their engagement just six weeks before their New Year's Eve wedding is to take place.
Although this book deals with deep issues such as women's friendships, sisterhood, infertility, infidelity, and alcoholism, it is at heart a romantic comedy that made me laugh out loud many times. Will Bella and Grace find the strength to deal with their situations? Will Polly be able to accept the love she thinks she doesn't deserve? Read this wonderful novel and find out for yourself. Highly recommended!
NOTE: I received a copy of this book for FREE from the publisher, Atria Books, a division of Simon & Schuster, Inc., in exchange for a written review. There was no expectation that this review be either positive or negative, and I was not given any financial compensation to read the book or write the review. This information is disclosed in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 [...] Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
From the back cover:
Polly Atkins, a Londoner living in New York City, is headed back across the pond for her wedding, a grand affair that has her older sister, Bella, in a whirlwind of excitement. Bella can't wait to take over the wedding plans - and neither can Polly's best friend, Grace, whose life as a wife, housekeeper, and mother is making her feel older than her twenty-eight years. She's desperate to see Polly settle down in the same city - and the same life.
The only one who isn't bursting with enthusiasm is Polly. Which is why, before things can get any more chaotic, she calls the whole thing off and lets go of the most perfect man on the planet. There's no way that Polly is going to tell anyone why she's changed her mind. Some secrets are best kept hidden. But Grace and Bella are determined to get Polly and her fiance back together if it's the last thing they do. After all, solving someone else's problems has got to be better than dealing with your own...
Told from the points of view of both Bella and Grace, who love Polly dearly but mistrust each other deeply, this is a great story with sympathetic, believable characters and plenty of plot twists to keep you turning the pages. Bella's live-in boyfriend, Jamie, consistently lets her down at the most important times; Grace's marriage to Charlie has become a loveless, sexless sham, that she is struggling to keep together for the sake of their two young sons. Which explains why both women are utterly devastated when it appears that Polly isn't going to get her happily-ever-after with her dashing Dev. And what is most confusing is that no one - not even Polly's fiance - can get to the bottom of why she breaks off their engagement just six weeks before their New Year's Eve wedding is to take place.
Although this book deals with deep issues such as women's friendships, sisterhood, infertility, infidelity, and alcoholism, it is at heart a romantic comedy that made me laugh out loud many times. Will Bella and Grace find the strength to deal with their situations? Will Polly be able to accept the love she thinks she doesn't deserve? Read this wonderful novel and find out for yourself. Highly recommended!
NOTE: I received a copy of this book for FREE from the publisher, Atria Books, a division of Simon & Schuster, Inc., in exchange for a written review. There was no expectation that this review be either positive or negative, and I was not given any financial compensation to read the book or write the review. This information is disclosed in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 [...] Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
June 12, 2012
Initially it seemed this book would be about Polly, the bride of the title. Returning home to England to get married to the wonderful Dev, she suddenly decides that she cannot go through with the wedding. This, of course, upsets her best friend Grace and her older sister Bella. Unfortunately Polly isn’t talking to anyone, especially about her cancelled plans. So the story is laid out through the alternating voices of Bella and Grace, as they try to coax out the story from Polly. They want to know what is wrong so they can fix it. Through this process we learn their stories, and Polly turns out to be the much needed cathartic projection of their own issues, a means to seeing their own problems form an objective perspective. If you are looking for a fun romantic comedy sort of book, Holly McQueen really delivers. But if like me you are always looking for some deeper meaning behind the story that can speak about life in general, something applicable to all our lives, well she also delivers there. Typically people in trouble will learn to gloss over their problems for the sake of happiness. They lose the ability to see the trees in their own lives because the forests of world are in the way. In trying to fix Polly’s relationship they are finally able to see the problems in their own. It is this new found perspective that opens their eyes; they begin to understand you can’t lift someone out of their problems if you are stuck in the mud too. Basically the message is marriage is a major life decision and should not be taken lightly. Too often people just jump in to quickly with the easy out of divorce blinding them to the hazards just below the surface. Both Grace and Bella are in relationships with the wrong guy, perpetually to be disappointed and unhappy. It shows how important it is to be married to the right person for the right reasons if you want a chance at success. Through Polly’s example they find a way to right their ships and then and only then are they able to help Polly. I was a little disappointed at how cavalier the break up of a relationship was portrayed. There is a whole lot of baggage to be worked through once a long term relationship goes bad, and for the sake of style (it is a comedy after all), the author just bypasses that. In real life they made the right choice in the end but it would have been a much longer and depressing road to recovery than time constraints allowed. But it does support the thesis that making the right choice in the first place is always the better option. A fun light hearted read well worth your time. Entertaining but plenty of things for a book group to dig into.
June 18, 2012
Bella and Grace are ready for the upcoming wedding of Polly, Bella's sister and Grace's best friend. When Polly shows up in London declaring the wedding to be off, it throws Bella and Grace into tailspins. They can't understand why it happened. Of course, Bella and Grace have problems of their own. Bella desperately wants a child, but she can't have one of her own. Her slacker boyfriend is less than enthusiastic about the prospect of adoption. Grace meanwhile is stuck in a loveless marriage with an older man. When an attractive billionaire (and her husband's boss) begins to show interest in her, Grace's problems really start. In the end, Bella and Grace will have to solve their own issues before they can even begin to help Polly.
If you're looking for fun, quick reads, this is a great pick. There are some interesting issues at the root of the problems in this book though. Grace is a trapped in a marriage that seemed really great at first and has dropped off since then. Add two rambunctious kids into the mix, and a less than supportive husband seems even less great. Bella on the other hand can barely get a commitment from her flaky boyfriend. Bella is trying to go through the process of adopting a child, but her boyfriends antics aren't helping. When he invites one of his mates to stay with Bella without even asking, things go downhill. Grace and Bella both seemed a bit trapped in their situations. I waffled between feeling horrid for them and just wanting them to take control of their lives and move on. I think that neither one really felt they could do better than the situation they were in.
Polly had the most complex issues of them all, and it was directly tied into what was going on with Grace and Bella. I don't want to spoil anything, so that's about all I can say about that. It was a neat way to tie the two different storylines together. I found myself drawn to Bella more than Grace, which surprised me as I felt she was too hard on herself in the beginning. I think Grace's decisions put me off of her a bit. The great thing was to see growth and change in all the characters by the end. Of course, Grace's inability to fit in the with the other mom's at school was something I really related with. This book was not as escapist as I expected it to be, but I feel that's a good thing. I think a lot of people will be able to see themselves in Grace, Bella, and even Polly. While it's not complete fluff, it's definitely full of fun. There are some really hilarious parts. So if you are looking for a book that is fun while still being something you can relate to, definitely check this book out.
Book provided for review.
If you're looking for fun, quick reads, this is a great pick. There are some interesting issues at the root of the problems in this book though. Grace is a trapped in a marriage that seemed really great at first and has dropped off since then. Add two rambunctious kids into the mix, and a less than supportive husband seems even less great. Bella on the other hand can barely get a commitment from her flaky boyfriend. Bella is trying to go through the process of adopting a child, but her boyfriends antics aren't helping. When he invites one of his mates to stay with Bella without even asking, things go downhill. Grace and Bella both seemed a bit trapped in their situations. I waffled between feeling horrid for them and just wanting them to take control of their lives and move on. I think that neither one really felt they could do better than the situation they were in.
Polly had the most complex issues of them all, and it was directly tied into what was going on with Grace and Bella. I don't want to spoil anything, so that's about all I can say about that. It was a neat way to tie the two different storylines together. I found myself drawn to Bella more than Grace, which surprised me as I felt she was too hard on herself in the beginning. I think Grace's decisions put me off of her a bit. The great thing was to see growth and change in all the characters by the end. Of course, Grace's inability to fit in the with the other mom's at school was something I really related with. This book was not as escapist as I expected it to be, but I feel that's a good thing. I think a lot of people will be able to see themselves in Grace, Bella, and even Polly. While it's not complete fluff, it's definitely full of fun. There are some really hilarious parts. So if you are looking for a book that is fun while still being something you can relate to, definitely check this book out.
Book provided for review.
February 22, 2017
Maybe because I like flirty, funny romance books, but this book was great!!! I was laughing so much throughout the entire thing. I typically don't like it when the author switches back and forth between too many characters, but it 100% worked in this case. The unique voices she gave to the two main characters were so hilarious! It was a great tale of how love and loss can bring us all together.
June 11, 2012
I have been waiting for this book for what seems like a long time. I love me some chick-lit every now and then, but I just haven't been able to root for the characters in the chick-lit I've read lately. They just seem so much like caricatured versions of whatever stereotype they are supposed to represent - the lonely housewife, the unfulfilled career woman, the lost and drifting girl in her early twenties. It's been hard to find characters that you could root for, but this was NOT the case with There Goes the Bride... AT ALL.
What I loved the most about this book was that it drew me in with realistic, believable characters. The story is told from the perspectives of Polly's older sister, Bella and her best friend, Grace. It seems like I've been enjoying multiple perspectives a lot lately in my reading, but the best part about it is that it added so much to the story being able to be in the head of two very different women. McQueen adeptly introduces various characters in a way that makes it easy to follow. (I don't like it when an author throws a bunch of characters at you all at once and you spend the rest of the book trying to remember who so-and-so is and how they're related to the main character.) It picked me up from the first page and never lost it's momentum. I love when a book does that!
Bella, Grace and Polly are flawed and just oozing with insecurities, but the way McQueen writes, she nails down all of raw and REAL insecurities of most women. The way women look at each other and automatically assume that the other is thinking the worst about you. It's a daily battle for me. Bella and Grace battle with all of the insecurities that women struggle with everyday - How do we measure up? Are we pretty enough? Am I skinny enough? Will he love me forever? Am I a good mother? What do people really think of me? McQueen writes about women so well and about how cruel we can really be to other women with all the passive-aggressive, emotional one-upping over each other. I can't wait to read more of her books.
It's been a long time since I've finished a book within a night. I thoroughly enjoyed There Goes the Bride and highly recommend it to anyone looking for an well-written story that will draw you in from the first page and be almost impossible to put down once you get started. You won't be disappointed!
For more reviews from the bookish mama, please click here.
What I loved the most about this book was that it drew me in with realistic, believable characters. The story is told from the perspectives of Polly's older sister, Bella and her best friend, Grace. It seems like I've been enjoying multiple perspectives a lot lately in my reading, but the best part about it is that it added so much to the story being able to be in the head of two very different women. McQueen adeptly introduces various characters in a way that makes it easy to follow. (I don't like it when an author throws a bunch of characters at you all at once and you spend the rest of the book trying to remember who so-and-so is and how they're related to the main character.) It picked me up from the first page and never lost it's momentum. I love when a book does that!
Bella, Grace and Polly are flawed and just oozing with insecurities, but the way McQueen writes, she nails down all of raw and REAL insecurities of most women. The way women look at each other and automatically assume that the other is thinking the worst about you. It's a daily battle for me. Bella and Grace battle with all of the insecurities that women struggle with everyday - How do we measure up? Are we pretty enough? Am I skinny enough? Will he love me forever? Am I a good mother? What do people really think of me? McQueen writes about women so well and about how cruel we can really be to other women with all the passive-aggressive, emotional one-upping over each other. I can't wait to read more of her books.
It's been a long time since I've finished a book within a night. I thoroughly enjoyed There Goes the Bride and highly recommend it to anyone looking for an well-written story that will draw you in from the first page and be almost impossible to put down once you get started. You won't be disappointed!
For more reviews from the bookish mama, please click here.
July 6, 2012
From word one this book (as all other Holly McQueen titles do), shows how entertaining and humorous it will be for readers. Full of gals who love and hate each other, the story will remind everyone of the special characters that made up “Sex and the City.”
Polly Adkins is a British subject who’s living in New York City, and is about to leave for England in order to get married. Her sister, Bella, is waiting for her arrival with a bit of anxiety, considering she is going to be the wedding planner. In addition, waiting in the wings is Polly’s best friend, Grace. Grace is 28-years old, married and a Mom. What she sees is the fact that she is the oldest gal in her group and she’s anxious for Polly to settle down, have children and join the ‘boring, hum-drum’ world of wife and mother.
Polly, however, is not exactly ‘gung-ho’ to walk down the aisle and actually wants to call the wedding off. But it seems to be impossible, seeing as that both her sister and her friend are determined that she gets married. In fact, they have taken up the mission of getting the bride and groom back together.
This is harder than it looks, seeing as that Bella and Grace love Polly but are definitely not crazy about each other; and their own relationships seem to be more than a little off-kilter. Bella has a boyfriend who is far from perfect, and Grace’s marriage to Charlie is not going well, but she’s trying to hold everything together for the sake of their children.
No matter what her sister or best friend say, Polly doesn’t want to deal with the reasons why she doesn’t want to get married, she just doesn’t. In other words, Polly will not tell them the truth about why the relationship has gone South.
This book deals with almost all women’s issues imaginable. From sisters to friendships to infidelity, and a little dependence on alcohol, the story makes you laugh one minute and cry the next. It is a great deal of fun ‘watching’ Bella and Grace find strengths they didn’t even know they had while butting into Polly’s life – and the conclusion for each woman is filled with pure heart and a whole lot of laughs. Enjoy!
Read
August 2, 2012Polly’s flying home and she’s getting married! Except, she’s not. The wedding’s off and nobody can figure out why. After all, Polly seemed head over heels with her fiance Dev and the wedding is just around the corner. Polly’s friend Grace and her sister Bella both have enough problems of their own but with Christmas and a wedding just around the corner, they need to figure out how to get Polly down the aisle.
I really enjoyed There Goes the Bride. Although the main aspect of the story is Polly’s refusal to wed Dev – and refusal to confirm why – Bella and Grace also have their own share of pretty heavy going problems. Bella has a successful catering business but she’s looking to adopt and having a waster of a boyfriend lolling around the house, bringing his mates home and missing every social worker’s visit is proving to be a bit much to handle. Grace has lovely children but a less than lovely husband. Despite being a talented artist, she’s become little more to her husband than a fetcher, carrier and babysitting service.
The book is fun and funny with a smattering of arguments, romance, sex, snobbery and Christmas mayhem. At times it’s a little predictable but there’s some charm in that and a kind of reassurance that there’s nothing too tragic or overwhelming to face. This is feel good and enjoyable, with laughs, smiles and contented sighs along the way.
I haven’t read any of McQueen’s previous work but having enjoyed this so thoroughly I would definitely recommend her and wouldn’t hesitate to pick up other work by her. A fantastic pick about real women with real issues!
**Review originally published on Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave. I received a copy of the book in exchange for a fair and honest review. I did not receive any additional compensation and all views are my own.**
I really enjoyed There Goes the Bride. Although the main aspect of the story is Polly’s refusal to wed Dev – and refusal to confirm why – Bella and Grace also have their own share of pretty heavy going problems. Bella has a successful catering business but she’s looking to adopt and having a waster of a boyfriend lolling around the house, bringing his mates home and missing every social worker’s visit is proving to be a bit much to handle. Grace has lovely children but a less than lovely husband. Despite being a talented artist, she’s become little more to her husband than a fetcher, carrier and babysitting service.
The book is fun and funny with a smattering of arguments, romance, sex, snobbery and Christmas mayhem. At times it’s a little predictable but there’s some charm in that and a kind of reassurance that there’s nothing too tragic or overwhelming to face. This is feel good and enjoyable, with laughs, smiles and contented sighs along the way.
I haven’t read any of McQueen’s previous work but having enjoyed this so thoroughly I would definitely recommend her and wouldn’t hesitate to pick up other work by her. A fantastic pick about real women with real issues!
**Review originally published on Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave. I received a copy of the book in exchange for a fair and honest review. I did not receive any additional compensation and all views are my own.**
June 13, 2012
There Goes The Bride by Holly McQueen is a story about three very different women Polly, Grace and Bella. Polly and Bella are sisters and Bella is making all the arrangements for Polly's wedding as Bella is also a caterer. When she goes to the airport to pick up Polly, who is moving back to England from New York, Polly is nowhere to be found. When Bella does finally find her sister, Polly tells her the wedding is off and will not tell her why.
Bella is a caterer and has a boyfriend who leaves a lot to be desired and is in the process of trying to adopt a child. Bella was in a terrible car accident and is unable to bear children, so with trying to do all the right thing for the adoption and getting her sister to talk about why she called off the wedding, she also has to contend with a good looking guy who is staying in her flat at the request of her boyfriend.
Grace is wife to a man who to me is a real jerk and a bully, ordering Grace around and belittling her at every turn. She had been his secretary and he left his wife to marry Grace. They have two children and she is pretty much ostracized by the mothers at her kids school. She accidently meets a wealthy good looking man and starts to have an innocent relationship with. Things turn serious and steamy when she finally has enough of her husband.
All three of these women's lives are drawn together in this delightful novel. This story has a little bit of everything in it, raising children, marriage, infidelity and lots of humor. A fast paced fun quick read, perfect for the beach. I loved it and recommend it to anyone who are fans of Jennifer Weiner or Sophie Kinsella.
Bella is a caterer and has a boyfriend who leaves a lot to be desired and is in the process of trying to adopt a child. Bella was in a terrible car accident and is unable to bear children, so with trying to do all the right thing for the adoption and getting her sister to talk about why she called off the wedding, she also has to contend with a good looking guy who is staying in her flat at the request of her boyfriend.
Grace is wife to a man who to me is a real jerk and a bully, ordering Grace around and belittling her at every turn. She had been his secretary and he left his wife to marry Grace. They have two children and she is pretty much ostracized by the mothers at her kids school. She accidently meets a wealthy good looking man and starts to have an innocent relationship with. Things turn serious and steamy when she finally has enough of her husband.
All three of these women's lives are drawn together in this delightful novel. This story has a little bit of everything in it, raising children, marriage, infidelity and lots of humor. A fast paced fun quick read, perfect for the beach. I loved it and recommend it to anyone who are fans of Jennifer Weiner or Sophie Kinsella.
June 4, 2012
MY THOUGHTS
LOVED IT
Bella, a bit overweight, runs a catering company and her lovely, perfect sister, Polly, is set to marry THE perfect guy. Except Polly has commitment issues and even her best friend, gorgeous Grace can't convince her to carry through with the plan. Told in alternating points of view of these three women, it proves the point that you can't know what goes on behind closed doors of seemingly perfect people. Bella and Grace, although not really friendly, try to get Polly to get back with her fiance, Dev, but there is more going on in Polly than either of them could possibly imagine. Grace and Bella also have deeper issues that all come to light as the story continues.
Polly is the center of this story even though she only appears in brief telephone conversations and emails to her therapist. It isn't until the very end where we find out all of her secrets and why she called the wedding off in the first place. The real meat of the story is between Grace and her disaster of a marriage and Bella, who has a life changing event that causes most of Polly's issues. I adored the way these three individuals all connected and came together at the end.
I have dying for a book like this since it seems I am between Jennifer Weiner's latest and one from Sophie Kinsella. This is the perfect read for a nice summer day with just the right balance of humor and tragedy. I am such a sucker for books that have a nice wrap up but leave a bit to the imagination and this one met all of my requirements.
LOVED IT
Bella, a bit overweight, runs a catering company and her lovely, perfect sister, Polly, is set to marry THE perfect guy. Except Polly has commitment issues and even her best friend, gorgeous Grace can't convince her to carry through with the plan. Told in alternating points of view of these three women, it proves the point that you can't know what goes on behind closed doors of seemingly perfect people. Bella and Grace, although not really friendly, try to get Polly to get back with her fiance, Dev, but there is more going on in Polly than either of them could possibly imagine. Grace and Bella also have deeper issues that all come to light as the story continues.
Polly is the center of this story even though she only appears in brief telephone conversations and emails to her therapist. It isn't until the very end where we find out all of her secrets and why she called the wedding off in the first place. The real meat of the story is between Grace and her disaster of a marriage and Bella, who has a life changing event that causes most of Polly's issues. I adored the way these three individuals all connected and came together at the end.
I have dying for a book like this since it seems I am between Jennifer Weiner's latest and one from Sophie Kinsella. This is the perfect read for a nice summer day with just the right balance of humor and tragedy. I am such a sucker for books that have a nice wrap up but leave a bit to the imagination and this one met all of my requirements.
November 7, 2012
At the beginning I thought I wouldn't like this book. That it would be one of those books, which I just read and forgotten half of it, but throughout reading the book I loved how it showed us that it wasn't about the person who we think it is. I mean the Book says There goes the bride, and typically we would think OMG, the bride has fled and that everything is about the bride that day. What we foresee is how people around the bride have their own secrets far worse than the bride running away.
I loved how it showed, although someone seems to have a perfect life(Grace), it doesn't mean it is, and it doesn't mean that if you going through hard times it wouldn't eventually turn out just right for you. I loved how if it makes you understand if you are losing yourself or with someone who is slowly shutting down the life inside you should run and run fast, and you never know when you will find You're Saad Ammar! *Hearts*
at first, Bella was my least favourite character but as I got into the story. She made me understand how insecurity can make you into a person who fears people who might look like they have a perfect life.
All in All, I loved the bond between Polly and Grace, and Polly and Bella and most of all I loved loved loved that Grace and Bella finally understood each other.
I loved how it showed, although someone seems to have a perfect life(Grace), it doesn't mean it is, and it doesn't mean that if you going through hard times it wouldn't eventually turn out just right for you. I loved how if it makes you understand if you are losing yourself or with someone who is slowly shutting down the life inside you should run and run fast, and you never know when you will find You're Saad Ammar! *Hearts*
at first, Bella was my least favourite character but as I got into the story. She made me understand how insecurity can make you into a person who fears people who might look like they have a perfect life.
All in All, I loved the bond between Polly and Grace, and Polly and Bella and most of all I loved loved loved that Grace and Bella finally understood each other.
July 7, 2013
There Goes The Bride by Holly McQueen is a fantastic chick-lit book that I would recommend to anyone looking for a great beach read this summer! Polly Atkins has been living in NYC but is about to get married. So, she heads back home to London for the big event. Her sister Bella couldn't be happier. She hasn't seen her sister in five yaers and is really excited to help plan the wedding. Polly's bff Grace is happy to have Polly back - after spending all of her time being a wife, mom and housekeeper, she could use someone to turn to.
However, not everything goes at it seems. Polly breaks off the engagement, much to the dismay of her fiance, Dev, and her family and friends. She doesn't say why and she isn't going to. But Grace and Bella are determined to get Polly and Dev back together! Not only because they really should be together but for their own reasons as well. Not to mention what is going on in the lives of Bella and Grace!
With a clever mix of fun and chaotic, Here Comes the Bride will delight readers! Romance, friendships, relationships, secrets and more will keep you turning the pages! Although I felt the author could have spent more time with the relationship of Polly and Dev, I still found it a fun, entertaining and light read!
However, not everything goes at it seems. Polly breaks off the engagement, much to the dismay of her fiance, Dev, and her family and friends. She doesn't say why and she isn't going to. But Grace and Bella are determined to get Polly and Dev back together! Not only because they really should be together but for their own reasons as well. Not to mention what is going on in the lives of Bella and Grace!
With a clever mix of fun and chaotic, Here Comes the Bride will delight readers! Romance, friendships, relationships, secrets and more will keep you turning the pages! Although I felt the author could have spent more time with the relationship of Polly and Dev, I still found it a fun, entertaining and light read!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews