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Cold Feet
Pre-wedding jitters turn into serious doubts in this fresh and funny debut about tying the knot and untethering from the past...
Everyone’s expecting her to walk down the aisle.
But something is telling her to run.
Emma Moon's mother thinks it's acceptable to miss her only daughter's wedding rehearsal dinner for a work obligation. Her father left when she was six months old. Emma hasn't exactly been raised to be a happily-ever-after kind of girl.
So when her anxieties get out of hand, Emma and her best friend, Liv, decide to take a road trip to San Francisco, find her long-lost father, and put her family issues to rest.
But her quest for the truth stirs up events and emotions she didn’t expect. The urge to run away may just be a part of Emma’s genetic makeup, because she’s growing more and more tempted to do just that…
Everyone’s expecting her to walk down the aisle.
But something is telling her to run.
Emma Moon's mother thinks it's acceptable to miss her only daughter's wedding rehearsal dinner for a work obligation. Her father left when she was six months old. Emma hasn't exactly been raised to be a happily-ever-after kind of girl.
So when her anxieties get out of hand, Emma and her best friend, Liv, decide to take a road trip to San Francisco, find her long-lost father, and put her family issues to rest.
But her quest for the truth stirs up events and emotions she didn’t expect. The urge to run away may just be a part of Emma’s genetic makeup, because she’s growing more and more tempted to do just that…
304 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2015
10 people are currently reading
819 people want to read
About the author
Amy FitzHenry
1 book22 followersAmy, a Virginia native, attended the College of William and Mary and the University of Virginia School of Law. After law school, Amy practiced as a litigator in a Los Angeles-based firm. She is currently living in LA and, when she isn't writing, practices law as the in-house counsel for the global men's health charity, the Movember Foundation. Cold Feet is her first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews
August 6, 2025
This was cute and entertaining although not lacking in serious subjects. I definitely would have read other books by this author but I guess this is her only one.
August 29, 2015
Armed with her best friend and only bridesmaid, Emma heads out for her last hurrah before the big day only to take a detour and find out some things about herself, her groom, and her family along the way. Big changes are coming in waves and dealing with it is tough for anyone.
The author takes a look at the family drama and emotional toll a wedding can do to you in this story. While some parts are humorous, some parts actually made me sad. Did I recognize my past and situations in here somehow? I am not sure but the author did a great job of creating the emotion that goes through you when someone makes a big change in their life. Nervousness about living together, jobs, and money - the future as a whole. Plus, for Emma, the unbalanced situation with her parents.
Learning how to accept change and trust in another person completely is at the core of this novel, especially if you do not trust yourself. For if you do not have trust, how can you move forward? Even in bad decisions that we sometimes make, trust is the underlying thread of it all.
For me, this was a deeper read than probably what was intended by the author. Going on Emma's journey of self discovery made for an interesting and entertaining story that the author captured perfectly. I look forward to more writings in the future by this author.
The author takes a look at the family drama and emotional toll a wedding can do to you in this story. While some parts are humorous, some parts actually made me sad. Did I recognize my past and situations in here somehow? I am not sure but the author did a great job of creating the emotion that goes through you when someone makes a big change in their life. Nervousness about living together, jobs, and money - the future as a whole. Plus, for Emma, the unbalanced situation with her parents.
Learning how to accept change and trust in another person completely is at the core of this novel, especially if you do not trust yourself. For if you do not have trust, how can you move forward? Even in bad decisions that we sometimes make, trust is the underlying thread of it all.
For me, this was a deeper read than probably what was intended by the author. Going on Emma's journey of self discovery made for an interesting and entertaining story that the author captured perfectly. I look forward to more writings in the future by this author.
August 31, 2015
I got half way into this book very quickly. Not because I could not stop reading this book but because the chapters are short and I am a fast reader. Yet the first half of the book was not very eventful or rememberable. I could not really tell you what happened in the first half of the book. None of the characters were that intriguing. Thus the second half of the book was not that much better. Yes, I felt sorry for Emma that her parents were not loving and active in her life but I did not feel the emotional connection with Emma as I was hoping and looking for. So for me the story then dragged on plus the fact that none of the other characters were engaging as well. Although I am interested to see what the author has in store for her next book as this book did show a slight glimmer of promise.
October 15, 2015
Cold Feet is not my typically-loved genre (contemporary women's fiction) but it was surprisingly good. It's got a nice balance of self-deprecating humor and snark, as well as some groaner puns. But mostly it's a journey of self-discovery without all the cheesy Hallmark tropes that such a phrase brings to mind.
Emma is believably burdened with emotional baggage, and although I couldn't relate to her quirks or the childhood that created them, her willful ignorance of her own brokenness was universal. This is one of those awesome rare cases where something horrible in real life (that's usually marginalized or turned into a cutesy character trait in literature) is treated with respect and an eye toward the plausible. Emma's reactions to events may seem at times overly dramatic, but she never comes across as self-centered.
I also think the ending was handled very well, and in such a way that made sense. This book isn't about absolutes, or one-size-fits-all-scenarios rules. It's about overcoming fear and accepting all the myriad bits of your life as valid and equal contributions to the whole.
Emma is believably burdened with emotional baggage, and although I couldn't relate to her quirks or the childhood that created them, her willful ignorance of her own brokenness was universal. This is one of those awesome rare cases where something horrible in real life (that's usually marginalized or turned into a cutesy character trait in literature) is treated with respect and an eye toward the plausible. Emma's reactions to events may seem at times overly dramatic, but she never comes across as self-centered.
I also think the ending was handled very well, and in such a way that made sense. This book isn't about absolutes, or one-size-fits-all-scenarios rules. It's about overcoming fear and accepting all the myriad bits of your life as valid and equal contributions to the whole.
March 28, 2016
This book was ok. The first POV didn't throw me out of the story like most first POV narratives. The story felt a little bit flat in the middle but the first and last thrid of the book were quite enjoyable.
December 22, 2018
The writer did well from an emotional point on showing what May go through a persons mind when deciding to take that leap into marriage and how emotional it can be. Especially if there’s trust issue with yourself and others. Also, in explaining why a person would have such issues with trust, emotional baggage. I did not like the curse words, definitely not needed to get the point across. The book did drag on towards the end as Emma overcomes her fear, able to forgive and accept what was.
September 1, 2015
Cold Feet is a wonderful page-turner and a truly impressive debut novel. I was not expecting to like it as much as I did, as I am not often one for the so-called "chick lit" genre, but this book is so much more than your run-of-the-mill "girl thinks about her impending wedding" summer read. In fact, considering it's now September, I'd say it's the prefect Fall read, full of layers and emotional depth. I polished it off in about a day and a half, especially as I began to obsess over figuring out the mystery of Emma's father. I even thought I had it all figured out when the author proved me wrong with some well-crafted and unexpected plot twists.
I think my favorite element of the book, however, was the way in which the author incorporated legal jargon. I realize that might sound a little insane, and please note that I am NOT a lawyer myself, but the way she used legal anecdotes to inform her writing and her character made the story that much richer, and it was a really wonderful way to explore motive on a more psychological level, and I found that not only did that make me want to delve deeper into Emma's characterization, but also into my own!
Speaking of Emma, she was a really well-written main character: deeply flawed in a way that didn't feel cloying or rote. I found it a relief to encounter a narrator who was so aware of her flaws and her negative tendencies -- those things made her even more relatable.
Overall I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book and I would happily recommend it to friends and strangers alike -- hence this Goodreads review!
I think my favorite element of the book, however, was the way in which the author incorporated legal jargon. I realize that might sound a little insane, and please note that I am NOT a lawyer myself, but the way she used legal anecdotes to inform her writing and her character made the story that much richer, and it was a really wonderful way to explore motive on a more psychological level, and I found that not only did that make me want to delve deeper into Emma's characterization, but also into my own!
Speaking of Emma, she was a really well-written main character: deeply flawed in a way that didn't feel cloying or rote. I found it a relief to encounter a narrator who was so aware of her flaws and her negative tendencies -- those things made her even more relatable.
Overall I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book and I would happily recommend it to friends and strangers alike -- hence this Goodreads review!
August 22, 2015
Review also found at http://kristineandterri.blogspot.ca/2...
**I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher Berkley via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. The expected publication date is September 1st 2015**
This is a story about a girl who thinks she has everything under control however deep down she is a complete and utter mess. One week before her wedding she starts to question everything in her life and essentially self destructs.
While stories like these are meant to take you on a journey of self discovery with the main character it does not make you want to slap some sense in to them any less. Emma had a distant mother and a non existent father and as a result seemed willing to set aside the happiness she found with Sam to avoid him from abandoning her at some unknown point in their future. Makes sense right? Not exactly however this the series of events found in this story.
Found within these pages is the story of love, friendship and personal growth. Although I found Emma self destructive I wanted to see how her journey would complete. I found it altogether satisfactory. Also the story was pretty easy to read resulting in its completion in good time.
For those who like stories about self discovery this would be a good read.
**I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher Berkley via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. The expected publication date is September 1st 2015**
This is a story about a girl who thinks she has everything under control however deep down she is a complete and utter mess. One week before her wedding she starts to question everything in her life and essentially self destructs.
While stories like these are meant to take you on a journey of self discovery with the main character it does not make you want to slap some sense in to them any less. Emma had a distant mother and a non existent father and as a result seemed willing to set aside the happiness she found with Sam to avoid him from abandoning her at some unknown point in their future. Makes sense right? Not exactly however this the series of events found in this story.
Found within these pages is the story of love, friendship and personal growth. Although I found Emma self destructive I wanted to see how her journey would complete. I found it altogether satisfactory. Also the story was pretty easy to read resulting in its completion in good time.
For those who like stories about self discovery this would be a good read.
August 17, 2020
I won this in the giveaways first reads. I'm glad I did get it free. It hasn't taken me that long to read a book in a while.
It wasn't awful. I'd give it, maybe, two and a half stars. It just wasn't my personal style of writing. I like a lot more conversation. But this was very very very descriptive of everything, of useless information, etc. It's a problem with not getting to see an actual book in person to flip through to see the style of writing to make an opinion if you really do want to read it.
It made me chuckle once or twice, got better towards the end, but the chances of me picking this up off my shelves to read again over countless better ones I own isn't likely. Oh well.
It wasn't awful. I'd give it, maybe, two and a half stars. It just wasn't my personal style of writing. I like a lot more conversation. But this was very very very descriptive of everything, of useless information, etc. It's a problem with not getting to see an actual book in person to flip through to see the style of writing to make an opinion if you really do want to read it.
It made me chuckle once or twice, got better towards the end, but the chances of me picking this up off my shelves to read again over countless better ones I own isn't likely. Oh well.
May 23, 2021
⏱ Sixty second, no spoiler summary
Emma is just a week away from marriage and doubting if she is making the right decision. On a whim, she and her best friend Liv decide to ditch their bachelorette getaway and instead try to find Emma long-lost dad, Hunter. This journey leads to them a discovery that rocks Emma’s engagement, her friendship and her family. Happy ending with all loose ends tied up.
👍🏻Turn Ons
I chose this book as a “laugh out loud” for a book bingo square. While I didn’t actually laugh out loud, I did have some inner chuckles. I can see where the author was trying to throw in some humor.
👎🏻 Turn Offs
There was some underlying political stuff that I don’t think added to the story and could have been kept out. I think when she finally finds what she was looking for, it was almost anticlimactic and I think she would have suspected things earlier in her life. I disagree with how she resolved her conflict with her fiancé.
👵🏻 Safe to talk about with Grandma?
I think there might have been an f word but I don’t really remember so it wasn’t something that stood out. There was no steamy romance at all. My grandma would have enjoyed this book and liked discussing it with me.
⭐Rating ⭐
Three stars. It was ok. At times I found my mind wandering and had to go back and re-read passages.
Title & Author: Cold Feet by Amy FitzHenry
Format: Paperback
Read: 5/18/21-5/22/21
Rating: Three stars
Emma is just a week away from marriage and doubting if she is making the right decision. On a whim, she and her best friend Liv decide to ditch their bachelorette getaway and instead try to find Emma long-lost dad, Hunter. This journey leads to them a discovery that rocks Emma’s engagement, her friendship and her family. Happy ending with all loose ends tied up.
👍🏻Turn Ons
I chose this book as a “laugh out loud” for a book bingo square. While I didn’t actually laugh out loud, I did have some inner chuckles. I can see where the author was trying to throw in some humor.
👎🏻 Turn Offs
There was some underlying political stuff that I don’t think added to the story and could have been kept out. I think when she finally finds what she was looking for, it was almost anticlimactic and I think she would have suspected things earlier in her life. I disagree with how she resolved her conflict with her fiancé.
👵🏻 Safe to talk about with Grandma?
I think there might have been an f word but I don’t really remember so it wasn’t something that stood out. There was no steamy romance at all. My grandma would have enjoyed this book and liked discussing it with me.
⭐Rating ⭐
Three stars. It was ok. At times I found my mind wandering and had to go back and re-read passages.
Title & Author: Cold Feet by Amy FitzHenry
Format: Paperback
Read: 5/18/21-5/22/21
Rating: Three stars
May 4, 2023
3.5 stars. This was a cute book, but nothing exceptional. This book is about Emma. The book opens and she's on a flight, scared of turbulence but also not really caring what happens because her life is in a little bit of a mess. She is engaged but not sure she wants to be, she has a strained relationship with her mom, doesn't know her dad, etc. Her last minute wedding jitters lead her on an adventure with her best friend to discover who her dad is and if she wants to get married to Sam or not. The characters in this book were really underdeveloped. Things they did seemed out of character and it was hard to feel like we knew them very well. There are also a lot of plot points that are very convenient. However, the writing flowed really well and this was really easy to read. It felt like a debut novel and I would definitely read more from this author.
SPOILERS AHEAD:
She finds Hunter Moon, who she was always told her dad was. However, he's not. He was her mom's gay husband. Instead her dad was their neighbor who has recently died. He got to watch her grow up without her knowing it and was involved in some capacity. She has a brief little thing with a guy named Dusty but ends up back with her fiance, Sam. She also repairs strains in the relationship with her mom after she hears her mom's story of not being chosen by the man she loved.
SPOILERS AHEAD:
She finds Hunter Moon, who she was always told her dad was. However, he's not. He was her mom's gay husband. Instead her dad was their neighbor who has recently died. He got to watch her grow up without her knowing it and was involved in some capacity. She has a brief little thing with a guy named Dusty but ends up back with her fiance, Sam. She also repairs strains in the relationship with her mom after she hears her mom's story of not being chosen by the man she loved.
March 4, 2023
Emma Moon has the jitters about her upcoming nuptials. Her mother has just called and said that she won't be able to be there for the rehearsal dinner. Her father left when she was six months old and has never reached out to Emma. She is afraid that happiness and a lasting marriage is not in the stars for her. A week before the wedding, Emma and her best friend, Liv, who is her maid of honor and only attendant embark on a weekend bachelorette party at a spa. On the way there, Emma shares her misgivings about a happily-ever-after considering her family history. Not knowing her dad has definitely created a shadow that hangs over her happiness and peace of mind. Emma and Liv decide to take a detour to San Francisco to find Hunter Moon, Emma's father. They both think that if they are able to do this, some of Emma's abandonment issues will be resolved.
A real adventure ensues as they search for Hunter. Some surprises and unexpected issues arise along the way. I really enjoyed this story as there were many twists and turns to the plot. The characters were likeable and believable. This is my first read by this author, but I will be looking for more of her books.
A real adventure ensues as they search for Hunter. Some surprises and unexpected issues arise along the way. I really enjoyed this story as there were many twists and turns to the plot. The characters were likeable and believable. This is my first read by this author, but I will be looking for more of her books.
October 4, 2020
I purchased this book and put it on my bookshelf, only to immediately think I had already read it every time I looked through my options of what to read next. The cover evokes the image of a typical love story, but that is not what I got when I finally picked it up. I found myself not wanting to put this one down once I started, and got lost in the story. I wasn't sure where it was going to end up, and while I loved it, I know it's time for me to pass it on.
.
What I thought would be a cute reread, turned out to be a first time journey through the tale of a young woman trying to figure out her future while not ever really understanding her past. I really felt for her struggle in a way I don't always connect with a chick lit. The characters were flawed, but not without cause, and the ending was not immediately obvious. The writing felt like I was listening to my friend tell me a story. I would love to see what a movie based on this novel would look like.
.
What I thought would be a cute reread, turned out to be a first time journey through the tale of a young woman trying to figure out her future while not ever really understanding her past. I really felt for her struggle in a way I don't always connect with a chick lit. The characters were flawed, but not without cause, and the ending was not immediately obvious. The writing felt like I was listening to my friend tell me a story. I would love to see what a movie based on this novel would look like.
February 12, 2021
Cold Feet, a first novel, by Amy Fitzhenry is a true treat! Emma Moon has it "all:" a blossoming law career, a pending marriage just weeks way, plus her very best friend to escape with on a pre-wedding spa pampering adventure. Yet, when Amy's mom phones to say (because of work) she can't make it to the rehearsal dinner, but promising to be there all day for the wedding (well, I guess so!), this one phone call highlights all of the "normal" things Amy feels she's missing. Amy's dad walked out when she was just a baby, and Amy barely knows his name. Lately, her mom and she are hardly more than polite strangers. Actually, Amy feels like running away. Perhaps she inherited the running gene from her father. Can she let go of her past to embrace her promising future, or will Amy give in to cold feet? In this excellent read, Ms. Fitzhenry compassionately explores friendship, family, fidelity, trust and all the essential ties that bind. Gwendolyn Broadmore, author, Life Came to a Standstill.
December 14, 2021
This was such a great book. I think the themes present in the book are things we all deal with on a regular basis and struggle with: finding out who you are and your family, your background and where you come from, who can you trust, and the possibility of spending your life with someone forever and marriage. I really resonated with Emma and her fears about commitment, (especially) marriage, and being with someone forever. I really didn't care for the ending of her choosing to be with her fiance, despite the fact that he cheated, regardless if it was a "mistake" or not. The plot really had me hanging on with the ups and downs in her journey of finding out who her father was and realizing her life was already full as it was. Even with the ending, it was still a really good book.
Also, as a millennial, I understood a lot of the references and language used in the book but not sure all audiences would have been able to keep up.
Also, as a millennial, I understood a lot of the references and language used in the book but not sure all audiences would have been able to keep up.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 3, 2017
This was a light, easy, fast read. It was a very surface book with a common story - girl is about to get married and wants to find her dad and she has an adventure along the way. The adventure part was a bit long and drawn out. The out come was unique and the ending was satisfying.
October 24, 2019
Emma Moon was about to be married, decided it was time to find her father the week before her wedding. She found out some information about her future husband and secrets about her father. With all this information she feels like she wants to run away.
August 12, 2025
The book was fast paced and definitely a beach read. Unfortunately the main characters “oh life is out to get me” attitude was waining, so paragraphs were skipped as she was annoying. Glad she got her happy ending but she took hours out of my life I’ll never get back.
May 24, 2017
Cute and funny story. Quick, easy read!
February 14, 2018
Easy reading! Great story about finding one’s self, friendship, family and love.
August 27, 2018
Good quick beach read.
November 26, 2018
Not a must read, but it had some good lines and moved along quickly.
April 24, 2019
Simple, witty with a little humor quick chic lit.
December 27, 2020
An impromptu secondhand purchase that turned out to be a good happily-ever-after choice for holiday reading. I’m saving the meatier titles for The New Year.
March 22, 2022
This book was great! I really enjoyed the two female characters and funny lines of humor thrown in with perfect timing.
May 4, 2023
I buddy read this book and that made it much more enjoyable than it might have been otherwise. It was well written and kept me interested but the character development was lacking. For a debut novel it was really quite enjoyable. I couldn’t find any other books by this author.
March 15, 2024
In the process of finding her long lost father, the protagonist finds out her fiancée cheated on her at the beginning of their relationship. Typical, basic story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 4, 2024
3.5 kind of depressing at times, mixed feelings
February 9, 2025
How do you know when it's the right one? What if you're getting married and start to question your feelings? It just normal cold feet before the wedding right?
January 3, 2016
Originally reviewed at Novel Escapes
he only reason I couldn’t fully embrace this novel was because I initially found Emma really dry. This was likely because she was closed off to her emotions and, given her upbringing, that wasn’t very surprising a character trait. However, it made it difficult for me to understand where she was coming from and the choices she was making. I felt from the very beginning that she had one foot out the door- hence the title of the novel I suppose.
I actually empathised completely with the way she felt about Sam’s revelation. Although we wanted her to just get over it and move on because he so obviously loved her, there is no way I would have been able to forgive at the drop of a hat either. I was glad her best friend Olivia wasn’t trying to make that happen by pushing her to speak with Sam. Olivia was wonderful, their friendship so obviously supportive and important to them both but I didn’t really see the point of Olivia’s relationship with the professor. It seemed to add a dimension to Olivia and their friendship that was unnecessary and frustrated me when it interfered with both their progress. Did we need him? And it altered my opinion of Liv- not because he was married but just that she kept going back to him when he obviously preferred to stay with his wife. It just didn’t seem to fit with what I knew of Olivia.
Emma’s mother was another enigma. Even by the end of the book I was still confused about why she was so closed off towards her daughter- she’d been through some difficult decisions in her life but none were Emma’s fault and it seems like they should have been close. It would have been nice if she could have moved past her own misgivings about their family life to support her child rather than every other cause under the sun.
I liked Sam- I liked that he was messy to her neat, I liked that he was still really close to his buddy from when he was fifteen, I liked that he tried so hard to help her forgive him. It was one mistake from years ago. Would you be able to let it go?
I liked Cold Feet for the questions it introduced about forgiveness but I was somewhat bogged down by some of the characters decisions.
Thank you to Penguin Random House for our review copy. All opinions are our own.
he only reason I couldn’t fully embrace this novel was because I initially found Emma really dry. This was likely because she was closed off to her emotions and, given her upbringing, that wasn’t very surprising a character trait. However, it made it difficult for me to understand where she was coming from and the choices she was making. I felt from the very beginning that she had one foot out the door- hence the title of the novel I suppose.
I actually empathised completely with the way she felt about Sam’s revelation. Although we wanted her to just get over it and move on because he so obviously loved her, there is no way I would have been able to forgive at the drop of a hat either. I was glad her best friend Olivia wasn’t trying to make that happen by pushing her to speak with Sam. Olivia was wonderful, their friendship so obviously supportive and important to them both but I didn’t really see the point of Olivia’s relationship with the professor. It seemed to add a dimension to Olivia and their friendship that was unnecessary and frustrated me when it interfered with both their progress. Did we need him? And it altered my opinion of Liv- not because he was married but just that she kept going back to him when he obviously preferred to stay with his wife. It just didn’t seem to fit with what I knew of Olivia.
Emma’s mother was another enigma. Even by the end of the book I was still confused about why she was so closed off towards her daughter- she’d been through some difficult decisions in her life but none were Emma’s fault and it seems like they should have been close. It would have been nice if she could have moved past her own misgivings about their family life to support her child rather than every other cause under the sun.
I liked Sam- I liked that he was messy to her neat, I liked that he was still really close to his buddy from when he was fifteen, I liked that he tried so hard to help her forgive him. It was one mistake from years ago. Would you be able to let it go?
I liked Cold Feet for the questions it introduced about forgiveness but I was somewhat bogged down by some of the characters decisions.
Thank you to Penguin Random House for our review copy. All opinions are our own.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews