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A Bride’s Guide to Happiness and Homicide
246 pages, Paperback
Published November 11, 2025
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About the author
Kristen Bird
11 books297 followersKristen has lived coast to coast, but with her extended family in north Alabama, her roots run southern deep. She teaches high school English and writes in local coffee shops near her home outside of Houston. In her free time, she likes to visit parks with her three daughters, watch quirky films with her husband, and attempt to keep pace with her rescue lab-mixes.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
January 22, 2026
REVIEW- 3.5 stars
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
STORYLINE :
Amazing storyline, amazing plot twist. Dakota Green, a newly discovered heiress, is the bridesmaid to her bestie, Lacy, who has a wedding coming up and her husband's difficult relatives to handle. First off, I loved how the first chapter was about the murder and the rest of the book building up to that moment. I liked the storyline. It was different and engaging. Most importantly, I didn't see the end or the motive coming. So, the mystery was good. If anything, I didn't like how fast it was solved, and it seemed to be a recurring theme in this series. Once is enough, as far as I'm concerned.
CHARACTERS:
The main characters were okay from the amateur sleuth/ vet, Dakota Green to her sister with the weird words, Savilla to her boyfriend, Charlie to the best friend getting married, Lacy, too. The characters were okay, and I liked them. The side characters, especially the Swansons, were interesting too and okay.
However, I wished there were more characters I 'saw', especially Lacy's parents. Their daughter's wedding faced a lot of issues, and they were nowhere to be found. I thought they were dead. Sometimes, it felt like Dakota was overreacting with her sleuthing.Her role is not realistic
WRITING STYLE:
It was okay, but I felt it was slow in some parts of the book. I especially loved Savilla's weird word combinations.
SETTINGS:
The settings were good too and well- written. I could visualise the venues the wedding events were taking place.
OVERALL:
The book was okay and a nice sequel to the series. I liked the characters and I would recommend it for readers who love books in this genre.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
STORYLINE :
Amazing storyline, amazing plot twist. Dakota Green, a newly discovered heiress, is the bridesmaid to her bestie, Lacy, who has a wedding coming up and her husband's difficult relatives to handle. First off, I loved how the first chapter was about the murder and the rest of the book building up to that moment. I liked the storyline. It was different and engaging. Most importantly, I didn't see the end or the motive coming. So, the mystery was good. If anything, I didn't like how fast it was solved, and it seemed to be a recurring theme in this series. Once is enough, as far as I'm concerned.
CHARACTERS:
The main characters were okay from the amateur sleuth/ vet, Dakota Green to her sister with the weird words, Savilla to her boyfriend, Charlie to the best friend getting married, Lacy, too. The characters were okay, and I liked them. The side characters, especially the Swansons, were interesting too and okay.
However, I wished there were more characters I 'saw', especially Lacy's parents. Their daughter's wedding faced a lot of issues, and they were nowhere to be found. I thought they were dead. Sometimes, it felt like Dakota was overreacting with her sleuthing.Her role is not realistic
WRITING STYLE:
It was okay, but I felt it was slow in some parts of the book. I especially loved Savilla's weird word combinations.
SETTINGS:
The settings were good too and well- written. I could visualise the venues the wedding events were taking place.
OVERALL:
The book was okay and a nice sequel to the series. I liked the characters and I would recommend it for readers who love books in this genre.
January 23, 2026
Thank you Storm Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC.
I’m always up for a cozy mystery, and a wedding setting with a side of murder sounded like exactly my kind of fun - drama, secrets, and cake… hopefully without the knife.
While this one didn’t fully hit the mark for me, it was still an easy, light read. The pacing felt a little slower than I prefer, and I struggled at times to really connect with the characters, as some of them felt a bit flat on the page. I wanted a touch more spark and depth to really pull me into the chaos of the big day.
That said, it’s still the kind of story that works well when you’re in the mood for something gentle and low-stakes - a cozy mystery you can breeze through in an evening without too much emotional heavy lifting. The wedding backdrop adds a fun layer of drama and makes for an entertaining whodunnit setup.
Overall, not a standout for me personally, but still a pleasant, comfort-style mystery that cozy fans will likely enjoy.
I’m always up for a cozy mystery, and a wedding setting with a side of murder sounded like exactly my kind of fun - drama, secrets, and cake… hopefully without the knife.
While this one didn’t fully hit the mark for me, it was still an easy, light read. The pacing felt a little slower than I prefer, and I struggled at times to really connect with the characters, as some of them felt a bit flat on the page. I wanted a touch more spark and depth to really pull me into the chaos of the big day.
That said, it’s still the kind of story that works well when you’re in the mood for something gentle and low-stakes - a cozy mystery you can breeze through in an evening without too much emotional heavy lifting. The wedding backdrop adds a fun layer of drama and makes for an entertaining whodunnit setup.
Overall, not a standout for me personally, but still a pleasant, comfort-style mystery that cozy fans will likely enjoy.
November 18, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC! This one was a fun, cozy murder mystery that delivered exactly what I needed on a chill weekend — a smooth pace, easy reading, and enough intrigue to keep me turning pages straight through the epilogue. I loved the protagonist’s moxie (she had spunk, okay?!) and her crew brought just the right mix of charm and chaos to deal with her bff’s future in laws! A delightful whodunnit with warm vibes and a sprinkle of small-town sassiness!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews