For the Bride: A Novel

by Becca Grischow

From the author of I’ll Get Back To You, a sapphic enemies-to-lovers romance that follows a Type-A maid of honor setting out to do the most and a Type-B bridesmaid with her life only just put-together, who must put aside their animosity to plan the wedding of the summer

On the surface, Alice has her life together. She's got a job in music she loves; she's firmly sober; and she's grateful to be back in the good graces of her ex-girlfriend-once-best-friend-now-literal-only-friend Gin. Just in time, too, because Gin's getting married this summer! And Alice gets to be a bridesmaid.

If only the maid-of-honor wasn't Renee Type-A, the opposite of her in every way, and a long-time Alice-hater who's clung to her animosity like a leech. Every second Alice spends around Renee makes her feel like who she used to be, rather than the person she’s spent years trying to make herself into—and she doesn’t want to be reminded of her younger self any more than she wants to be thinking, more constantly than she wants to admit, about her hair, her lips, her wit.... No, Alice has her own stuff to figure out. She still loves music, but her career feels directionless. She’s grieving the loss of her father just a year ago, to alcohol. And then she finds out that her mother's started to date her father’s ex-bandmate, which sends her reeling…and with the wedding just around the corner, she doesn't want to bother Gin about any of it.

It's pure chance that Renee runs into Alice, just when she needs someone the most—and suddenly, everything shifts. Neither of them are what they assumed the other to be. Over the days and nights they’re spending helping Gin throw a DIY summer wedding of epic proportions, Alice and Renee discover that though they have nothing in common—that might be precisely what each of them need. Heartfelt and hopeful, For the Bride is a banter-filled sapphic romance with deep emotional resonance about found family, second chances, and finding love in the unexpected.

Genres: Lesbian, Romance, LGBT, Adult, Contemporary, Fiction, Queer

336 pages, Paperback

Expected publication June 2, 2026

Reviews

[Sam’s Sapphic Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

My heart feels impossibly full after reading this. It felt like the type of rollercoaster that makes your heart leap in your chest and your stomach bottom out.

Alice has been through the trenches and back. With her father’s passing and her sobriety, the days are a struggle. She lost her friends due to her alcoholism, and she can’t get herself to see her mom much since her father died. We all have so many regrets from our past, things we wish we would’ve done different, and Alice is no different.

I was hooked from the minute I picked up this book. The grief tore me apart, the forgiveness made my heart full, and the love was by far the best part. Alice is perfect proof that you can find yourself again no matter what you’ve gone through.

I truly love when a book has a deeper meaning and a message. No matter the mistakes we make, they don’t define us. And if we choose to change and do better for ourselves, there will always be the ones we care about standing bedding us and cheering us on.

Bravo Becca Grischow, this one was incredible. When I can’t get myself to put the book down to even sleep, I know it’s a good one.

Thank you NetGalley and Viking Penguin for the ARC!

[Larareads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book! The characters were amazing and even though at first I didn't understand why Renee was acting the way she did at the beginning and didn't really like her at about 60% everything is explained and I got to love both MCs so much! The soft moments between them were sooo cute!!!
It actually amazed me how the author handled grief so thoughtfully in this book. The little notes that Alice was writing to her father made me cry a couple of times.

One thing that really bothered me and why I can't rate this book any higher is the third act break up. I just thought that a little communication would have handled everything and there wouldn't have been any point to them staying apart.

In the end, I really loved the book and the characters and I'm really looking forward to read more from this author!

[Unpopmary · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 ⭐

For the Bride is a forced-proximity romance centered on Alice, who is still grieving her father’s death a year later while doing her best to stay sober and figure out what direction her life should take next. Everything shifts when her best friend–turned–ex-girlfriend–turned–only friend, Gin, asks her to be a bridesmaid at her wedding. The catch? Alice is forced to work alongside Renee, the other bridesmaid—her total opposite, and the embodiment of everything Alice is trying to leave behind. As the wedding approaches and they spend more time together, both women start realizing they might not be who the other assumed… and maybe they’re exactly what the other has been missing.

I went into this book really excited. The setting felt fresh, and the enemies-to-lovers marketing absolutely sold me. But as I started reading, I realized the tone leaned far more into angst than I’d anticipated (which I'm not a fan of), and the story unfolded in a way I hadn’t fully imagined. Even so, I sticked with it because I wanted to see where it would land.

Alice is a deeply layered character. She begins the story feeling unmoored, still trying to put herself back together. We see her confronting grief, fighting for her sobriety, and working hard to prove she’s no longer the person she used to be. While all of this felt realistic and well-intentioned, I struggled to fully connect with her early on... her emotional state felt overwhelming at times. At any rate, it made sense given her circumstances, and I was curious to see who she might become once she started finding her footing. Her growth unfolds gradually, especially through her evolving relationship with Renee and her renewed friendship with Gin.

Now, the romance didn’t fully win me over, mostly because my disconnect from the characters made their relationship feel less convincing. Still, I appreciated the way they balanced each other and slowly learned to open up. They encouraged one another to reconnect with their passions, be honest, and grow into better versions of themselves. I do wish the enemies-to-lovers aspect had been stronger though; the initial animosity felt brief and surface-level. I also wasn’t satisfied with how the third-act conflict played out. Alice had many chances to communicate and didn’t take them, which felt inconsistent with her character growth. And honestly, the way everything was resolved felt too easy; so much tension could’ve been avoided with earlier communication.

What truly stood out to me was how thoughtfully the book handled grief. It emphasizes that healing isn’t linear and looks different for everyone. Alice writing short messages to her dad as a way to cope was especially touching and made her grief feel very real. I also appreciated how sobriety was portrayed; not as something neat or simple, but as something fragile and hard-earned.

In the end, while this book didn’t fully work for me, I can easily see why it will resonate deeply with others. It tackles heavy, important themes like grief, sobriety, and personal growth, and it’s messy by design. Readers who gravitate toward romances that feel raw, imperfect, and grounded in reality rather than fairytale endings will likely connect strongly with this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this eARC.

[Meagan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual Rating: 4.25 stars

Thank you to Viking Penguin and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review! This is out June 2nd.

For the Bride is a sapphic romance that follows Alice, a former rock star processing her rock star father’s death, as she agrees to be a bridesmaid at her best friend’s wedding. She and the Type-A bridesmaid Renee butt heads but eventually form a reluctant friendship that blooms into something more as they plan the wedding of the summer.

This was so fun and sweet. I loved the journey this book took me on.

At first I didn’t understand why Renee was so rude to Alice who I immediately liked. It wasn’t until almost 60% of the way through the book that we learn how awful Alice was to the bride, Gin, and others in her life before she got sober. When I finally fully understood where Renee was coming from, I learned to love her but I can see some readers giving up before then - why would you want to read a romance when someone hates someone else for no apparent reason? I think the story could have benefitted from the reader learning the extent of Alice’s bad behavior earlier on.

That being said, Renee grew on me and I can now say I love her and the titular bride Gin. Chrissy, the fourth in their friend group, was a bit too annoying for me.

I didn’t fully understand the third act conflict between Alice and Renee. It seemed like a very simple moment of communication would have fixed any hurt feelings. I was happy that the conflict wasn’t drawn out at least.

Alice and Renee don’t properly date in the book - they go from enemies, to reluctant friends, to crushes who sleep together - which can totally work but it means that when Alice thinks to herself that she plans to marry Renee one day and that she loves her it feels quite fast. I know the “I love you” moment is a beat in most romance novels but I think it needed more build-up or shouldn’t have happened until the epilogue (if at all).

Overall, I still really enjoyed For the Bride! Alice was such a great main character and it was lovely to see her process her grief and navigate the messy relationships in her life. I’ll definitely be reading I’ll Get Back to You and will pick up any future books by Becca Grischow.

[Marcus Mitchell · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's so much to love in this book. It's Delilah Green Doesn't Care meets Wedding People, with really great prose and an emotional core that will probably stick with me for a bit. I really wasn't expecting this book to hit my heart like a sledgehammer the way it did, but tears were definitely had and in a way that never really felt like melodrama.

The protag and her struggles with grief and addiction were exceptionally well written, and it's easy to relate to her downspirals of figuring out what to do when life doesn't go way the way we expect, whether those curveballs are positive or negative. I think the cast overall was really solid. The book is at its best when Renee and Alice are vulnerable with one another and I'm glad we got plenty of that. I was a little worried the two would have no chemistry after the first third or so, but I was pleasantly surprised to see the pieces fall into place. Gin and Alice's relationship is also a major standout and not something I've seen pulled off too often in other works in the genre.

As someone who has lost loved ones to addiction, it's nice to see a book take that subject matter on without it feeling like a plot point or character motivation. It, along with things like grief and settling to keep our heads above water instead of chasing our dreams, is the beating heart of this novel and there's a nice message of seeking support and offering grace when able to take away from it.

The third act, as frustrating as it can be in regards to the typical expectations of a third act in a romance, really has some of the book's best work. Maybe the emotional gauntlet is a bit much, but the payoffs are nice and the moment of realization by Alice feels particularly earned and impactful. Only real knock I have against the book is the epilogue could've used a bit more oomph.

[Nicole (NicoleIsBooked) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alice and Renee have been enemies for years, but now, they are forced to work together because they are bridesmaids in their mutual, Gin's, wedding together. Alice dated Gin, but they have since reconnected as friends. Alice works as an assistant at a recording studio and Renee was laid off as an events planner and she was an actor. Alice is a lesbian, and Renee is bi.

As they are forced to work together, they see their differences come through. Renee is very type A, and Alice is more laid back. Despite their differences, they become friends, and they start to rely on each other. On the bachelorette trip to Palm Springs, they are forced to share one bed together. The romance is a slow burn, but it's well worth the wait! I appreciated that they spent time becoming friends before jumping into becoming lovers.

The story is also about grief and loss. Alice’s dad was in a famous band, annd he died from alcohol. Alice and her dad were alcoholics- she’s been sober 3 years. She was in a band and got kicked out for being drunk. Alice is grieving the loss of her father and the loss of her dream of being in a band. She is trying to put her life back together.

I loved that the story talked about moving on from the past and redefining your dreams and who you want to be. It’s about how dreams can change and you can find yourself again and make new ones with those you love. You can change- your past doesn’t define who you are in the present and future.

The story is well thought out, and it is not only a romance, but an exploration of found family and finding your dreams. I loved how all of the characters grew together. I can't wait to purchase this book.

[m · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book felt like a love letter to people who find themselves in their mid-to-late twenties not where they expected. Alice is knee deep in the grief of her father, complicated by both his alcoholism and her own. She's trying very hard to scavenge the only remaining good parts of her life--her love of music and her only remaining friend (and ex)--after deciding that she needed to quit drinking because it took the life of her father.

So now she works as a studio assistant (for free) after having to quit her band, and she's trying to be a better friend to Gin, her only true friend, who is now engaged to be married. But getting your life together after so much grief and personal struggle is far from easy, and it's only made harder when she becomes a co-bridesmaids with Renee (who is oh so familiar with drunk Alice). Renee who is so very type A and who is understandably maybe Alice's number 1 hater seems to be on a mission to antagonize Alice at every step of the way. But when they're forced to work with one another during the lead up to Gin's wedding, they both realize that people are capable of change.

A cute sort of coming-of-age for older young adults / romance. I wish the romance burned slower, but it made sense for the timeline presented.

4.5 rounding up

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Reli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overall Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice Rating: 🌶

This story follows Alice "Dallas Alice". She is navigating the passing of her father, a complicated relationship with her mother, and now helping plan her ex girlfriend turned bff's wedding.

Insert Renee. Queen bee energy, has her ducks in a row, successful, plans her life to the letter, and she absolutely cannot stand Alice.

These two women are forced to work together for the sake of their bestie. Sacrifices must be made for the bride 😉

A bridal shower getaway, drinks galore, flirty waiters, and hotel room shenanigans 🌚 Alice and Renee are forced to share a room and of course, there is only one bed!

Sharp words soften and glares shift to lingering glances. Can these two foster their budding relationship or will it fizzle out before it can fully bloom?

Add on the anxiety of Alice's former band having reached main stream fame and paying a visit to her home town.

This story will deal with some more serious topics ⚠️ such as: Alcoholism, Sobriety, Anxiety, Panic attacks, Wealthy inequality, Depression, Death of a parent

Overall, this was a good story. I really enjoyed the banter between Aloce and Renee. If this story sounds like something you'd like it is set to be released on June 2nd. Just in time to kick off Pride Month!

[Heather Hogan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh wow, this was so, so sweet. And honestly so much more than I was expecting! Just the idea of being asked to attend a bachelorette party in Palm Springs would make me break out in hives. But! Much like our main characters — Alice, a sober audio engineer grieving the loss of her rockstar dad; and Renee, an aspiring musical theater actor with an MBA and a compulsion to make lists — I had a lot to learn about what's underneath all the glitter and glam of their best friend's wedding. Really beautiful stuff on sobriety and grief, on growing and changing and the people who'll love you through all your moon phases. And my goodness the queer longing and tenderness. I almost didn't even put this one down.

Thank you to Viking Penguin | Penguin Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book and provide and honest review.

[Horace Hudson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alice and Renee are two bridesmaids. Alice used to be an alcoholic, but has changed. Renee still has the alcoholic version of Alice in her head, so they don't get along at first. Their relationship is quite charming, though slow moving. They have a bump in the road near the end that I thought was kinda trite, but it is common in the genre.

What I was surprised by was the grief. Alice has lost a father around a year ago, and the feelings are palpable on page. The different ways her and her mother deal with it in the aftermath is really interesting, and I thought it was handled really well.

I didn't love all the bridesmaids shenanigans. They lean a little immature and girly for my taste, but I'm pretty sure there are people who'd love the silly aspects of this book more than me.

Overall, a wonderful sapphic story

ARC from Netgalley

[Anushka Bagde · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the pace of this book and the journey that all characters go on. It seems like there is a lot that has happened for every person in this story not just the female main characters and it felt very vulnerable and moving. I liked Alice and Renee's individual stories and their joint story and how they overcame a lot together. There was a sense of healing and rejuvenation, especially for Alice who is going through a lot and is now making newer and stronger connections to her friends and family and I loved seeing that. there is a certain aspect of the story that I really enjoyed but I won't mention it due to spoilers but it felt very reflective. I enjoyed the group of friends and how there was that sense of found family within them. I enjoyed the ending as well.

Thank you to Viking Penguin, Netgalley, and Becca Grischow for approving me for this arc!

[Steph · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun twist on an enemies-to-lovers novel, following Alice, a now-sober former rockstar, and a group of friends who she is reconnecting with as bridesmaids for another friend’s wedding. She immediately clashes with one of the friend’s bridesmaids, setting off the expected tension, drama, and emotional flares. I would have liked a bit more backstory showing the history of this friend group; in the beginning, I felt as if I were dropped without enough context, but by the end I was able to connect with most of the main characters. This is a fun read for someone looking for a relatively low angst, lighthearted romance that still tackles some highly emotional topics.

I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley.

[Lauren Skaar · Rating 5 out of 5]

For the Bride is an absolute top tier romance novel. Alice’s character arc is incredibly moving as she navigates the earth shattering reality of her father’s death. Grischow handles difficult subjects like grief and substance abuse and all the messiness that comes along with them with the poignant perspective they deserve. The heavy subjects are so expertly balanced with the fun and playful nature of Alice and Renee’s relationship. I mean hello, Renee Rapp fanfic? Sold.

If I could read this book again for the first time I would. The way I laughed out loud, how my heart ached for Alice, and how joyful it felt to feel Alice come such a long way by the end. I was rooting for her, and I was not disappointed.

[Cat · Rating 4 out of 5]

A heartwarming slow burn romance that strikes the delicate balance of enemies to lovers. When the story starts out, both Alice and Renee have to valid reasons to dislike each other, but something special blossoms between them as they take the risk to get to know each other better and looks past their first impressions. This story reminds us that we're not the sum of our worst moments and that there's space to grow into better versions of ourselves. It's also equally a story about the growing pains of friendship and learning how to forgive and let people in.

Thank you Viking Penguin and NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions are my own

[Abby Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Finding oneself after the death of a loved one, struggling to break free from the same bad habits while trying to improve. It’s about being seen as the person you were, not the person you’re trying to become.

This is a charming little story about getting your life together while also falling in love. I wish I had enjoyed it more than I did, but it was an easy read.

Thank you, NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me with a digital ARC.

[Georgia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I cried. Way too many times. But wow my heart was just breaking for Alice over and over, her struggles, the way she saw herself and thought her friends saw her, all her messages to her dad. I loved her development and how her issues remained throughout the book, she wasn’t magically cured and you could feel the impact of her grief in every action. The relationships she had with gin and Chrissy felt genuine and we were given enough history to feel it without over explaining. The only thing I didn’t feel as sold on was her chemistry with Renee, I didn’t dislike them as a couple at all, and I liked that Renee’s hatred of Alice at first, while overly aggressive at points, felt understandable, I just didn’t personally feel that much chemistry between the pair and thought that Alice’s contribution to Renee’s life/ the way she changed Renee wasn’t as fleshed out. Regardless, this was original, heartfelt, full of nuanced characters and grief and really a fantastic book. It was really nice to read a wlw book that wasn’t so insanely angsty and self destructive or filled with “perfect” characters that fall flat.

[Avery · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew that Becca Grischow was going to be an insta-buy author from I'll get back to you and boy do i love being vindicated because this was wonderful