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Wedding Girl
You’ve Got Mail meets Julie & Julia in the new foodie fiction from the author of Recipe for Disaster .
Top pastry chef Sophie Bernstein and her sommelier fiancé were set to have Chicago’s culinary wedding of the year…until the groom eloped with someone else in a very public debacle, leaving Sophie splashed across the tabloids—fifty grand in debt on her dream wedding and one-hundred percent screwed on her dream life. The icing on the cake was when she lost her job and her home…
Laying low, Sophie moves in with her grandmother, Bubbles. That way, she can keep Bubbles and her sweater-wearing pug company and nurse her broken heart. But when Sophie gets a part-time job at the old-fashioned neighborhood bakery, she finds herself up to her elbows in dough and reluctantly giving a wedding cake customer advice on everything from gift bags to guest accommodations. Before she knows it, she’s an online wedding planner. It’s not mousse and macarons, but it pays the bills. But with the arrival of unexpected personal and professional twists, Sophie wonders if she’s really moving forward—or starting over from scratch...
Includes Recipes
Top pastry chef Sophie Bernstein and her sommelier fiancé were set to have Chicago’s culinary wedding of the year…until the groom eloped with someone else in a very public debacle, leaving Sophie splashed across the tabloids—fifty grand in debt on her dream wedding and one-hundred percent screwed on her dream life. The icing on the cake was when she lost her job and her home…
Laying low, Sophie moves in with her grandmother, Bubbles. That way, she can keep Bubbles and her sweater-wearing pug company and nurse her broken heart. But when Sophie gets a part-time job at the old-fashioned neighborhood bakery, she finds herself up to her elbows in dough and reluctantly giving a wedding cake customer advice on everything from gift bags to guest accommodations. Before she knows it, she’s an online wedding planner. It’s not mousse and macarons, but it pays the bills. But with the arrival of unexpected personal and professional twists, Sophie wonders if she’s really moving forward—or starting over from scratch...
Includes Recipes
400 pages, Paperback
First published May 3, 2016
62 people are currently reading
1659 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 205 reviews
April 26, 2016
This Book is a perfect example of how chick lit romance should be written. Fun, light-hearted, the drama, interesting families, in a story that you are thoroughly wrapped up in.
Wedding Girl is a fast-paced humorous story that you just can't put down once you pick it up. I read it in one day and was cranky when I had to stop. While the story is very predictable in many ways and I kinda already knew the ending, it didn't make it any less of an interesting and engaging read for me.
Loaded with fun and humor with a little sexual innuendo, the girl just finally gets the guy and we get to enjoy being along for the ride. Plus, there's plenty of humor around Grandma's dog that you just can't miss.
The one thing that killed me though was the ending. While I loved the set up, I couldn't believe the book just stopped. We went through so much together for me not to get the satisfaction I seeing what happens next was a big let-down. I wanted more!!! Could it be could it be there's another book in the works? If so, I'm all in for that.
Stacey Ballis is one author you want to follow..... Loved this story!!
Wedding Girl is a fast-paced humorous story that you just can't put down once you pick it up. I read it in one day and was cranky when I had to stop. While the story is very predictable in many ways and I kinda already knew the ending, it didn't make it any less of an interesting and engaging read for me.
Loaded with fun and humor with a little sexual innuendo, the girl just finally gets the guy and we get to enjoy being along for the ride. Plus, there's plenty of humor around Grandma's dog that you just can't miss.
The one thing that killed me though was the ending. While I loved the set up, I couldn't believe the book just stopped. We went through so much together for me not to get the satisfaction I seeing what happens next was a big let-down. I wanted more!!! Could it be could it be there's another book in the works? If so, I'm all in for that.
Stacey Ballis is one author you want to follow..... Loved this story!!
July 2, 2016
I've been meaning to read a Stacey Ballis book for a while. So, when one of my favorite online blogs gave a big thumbs up to Wedding Girl, I grabbed myself a copy and dove right in! I was pulled into the story right away, which opens on pastry chef Sophie Bernstein's wedding day. She has invested a lot of time and even more money in a high-end extravaganza that she thinks will be the beginning of a wonderful life with her fiancé, but those dreams are dashed when he's a no-show. A humiliated Sophie becomes tabloid fodder (It is a pretty juicy story since her betrothed not only leaves her at the altar, but elopes with the woman who was the chief investor in the restaurant Sophie and her husband-to-be were months away from opening.) and she starts spiraling, screwing up at work and alienating folks in the restaurant world who'd always supported her. When her bad attitude gets her fired, she has to slink home, with her tail between her legs, to her grandmother's house in the old Chicago neighborhood where she grew up. Broke and desperate, she takes the only job offered to her at a Jewish bakery that's so outdated it's about to go out of business. And it's here that the creative spark inside her is slowly, but surely, reignited and she opens up her heart to new possibilities in both life and love.
I do enjoy a good comeback story, and this one is absolutely enchanting from beginning to end! Sophie is a fascinatingly flawed and real protagonist. I could empathize with her struggles and I rooted for her throughout the book. Sophie really earns her victories, and I like that it wasn't obvious which professional path she'd end up taking. Because I didn't pay much attention to the blurb before reading the book (Face plant!), it didn't occur to me until about halfway through that the author was doing a riff on the plot of two classic screen RomComs, "The Shop Around the Corner" and "You've Got Mail," which was perfect since Sophie and her grandmother, Bubbles, are big fans of old black-and-white movies. In a very clever bit, the author starts each chapter of Wedding Girl with a couple of pithy lines of dialogue from one of those flicks, a few of which I need to track down because I haven't seen them! Ms. Ballis did an incredible job of putting a fresh spin on the original story, and I applaud her for that. Something else I thought she excelled at was creating really fun and interesting supporting characters - Bubbles is a hoot (I laughed every time I saw the name of her adorable little pug on the page!), I loved Sophie's girl squad (lesbian besties, Ruth and Jean, and new pal, bride-to-be Amelia who helps her come up with a way to make some good money on the side while working at the bakery), and her not-exactly-recovering flower child parents provide both laughs and drama for their only child. I'd be happy to read a sequel starring any of these characters!
The romance in Wedding Girl is a slow burn since the characters rub each other the wrong way when they first meet and they have to prove their worth to each other in a variety of ways before they start letting down their guards with each other. I like love stories where romantic feelings sneak up on the characters and they keep denying what's obvious to everyone else. And this book had a very satisfying and lovely ending that made me a little verklempt.
If you are looking for a witty, engaging, heartwarming read this summer, I highly recommend Wedding Girl! I'm excited to read more of Stacey Ballis's work.
I do enjoy a good comeback story, and this one is absolutely enchanting from beginning to end! Sophie is a fascinatingly flawed and real protagonist. I could empathize with her struggles and I rooted for her throughout the book. Sophie really earns her victories, and I like that it wasn't obvious which professional path she'd end up taking. Because I didn't pay much attention to the blurb before reading the book (Face plant!), it didn't occur to me until about halfway through that the author was doing a riff on the plot of two classic screen RomComs, "The Shop Around the Corner" and "You've Got Mail," which was perfect since Sophie and her grandmother, Bubbles, are big fans of old black-and-white movies. In a very clever bit, the author starts each chapter of Wedding Girl with a couple of pithy lines of dialogue from one of those flicks, a few of which I need to track down because I haven't seen them! Ms. Ballis did an incredible job of putting a fresh spin on the original story, and I applaud her for that. Something else I thought she excelled at was creating really fun and interesting supporting characters - Bubbles is a hoot (I laughed every time I saw the name of her adorable little pug on the page!), I loved Sophie's girl squad (lesbian besties, Ruth and Jean, and new pal, bride-to-be Amelia who helps her come up with a way to make some good money on the side while working at the bakery), and her not-exactly-recovering flower child parents provide both laughs and drama for their only child. I'd be happy to read a sequel starring any of these characters!
The romance in Wedding Girl is a slow burn since the characters rub each other the wrong way when they first meet and they have to prove their worth to each other in a variety of ways before they start letting down their guards with each other. I like love stories where romantic feelings sneak up on the characters and they keep denying what's obvious to everyone else. And this book had a very satisfying and lovely ending that made me a little verklempt.
If you are looking for a witty, engaging, heartwarming read this summer, I highly recommend Wedding Girl! I'm excited to read more of Stacey Ballis's work.
August 4, 2020
Good: It was fun to read a book set almost exactly where and when I live! So many Chicago references. The neighborhoods, the newspapers, the Jewish bakery. It felt very familiar to me, and it's nice not to feel clueless.
Bad: Why were there hardly any contractions in the dialogue? It didn't sound natural. What an annoying, easily-fixable mistake.
Good: The food descriptions were almost sinfully delicious. When Sophie moved to Herman's bakery, things became more wholesome. I immediately started craving Jewish food.
Bad: Treif! Sophie and her family keep as kosher as a bacon cheeseburger!
Good: With a quote from a different romantic comedy from the '30's or '40's at the beginning of every chapter, I could make a new list on listchallenges.com. Even if I couldn't tell if each quote had any relevance to what happened in the chapter.
Bad: Absolutely no explanation about her relationship with Dexter, and why he would do such a dastardly thing as leave her at the altar.
Good: Includes a baking competition, which is why I was interested in the first place. If Sophie's cake was real, I'd like to see its picture on a Sunday Sweets post on cakewrecks.com.
Bad: Sophie's two best friends are lesbians. There is no discussion of different sexualities in the book; they never express puzzlement about hers, and she never does about theirs. This part of the book felt kind of shallow. I didn't much like the one who was always right, either.
Good: I loved Herman.
Bad: No closure with Sophie and her old boss.
This book reminds me of The Bagel restaurant. You can get a simulacrum of Jewish food, but there are bacon cheeseburgers on the menu. Nobody orthodox would eat there. Similarly, this book had some of the feeling of past days: old Jews, old hippies, old movies, a remnant of old Chicago holding on against neighborhood change. But apparently you can't hold back change. And so the old disappears, largely unmourned. So, in conclusion:
Good: This book gives an honest portrayal of how Chicago has changed for good.
Bad: This is heartbreaking.
Bad: Why were there hardly any contractions in the dialogue? It didn't sound natural. What an annoying, easily-fixable mistake.
Good: The food descriptions were almost sinfully delicious. When Sophie moved to Herman's bakery, things became more wholesome. I immediately started craving Jewish food.
Bad: Treif! Sophie and her family keep as kosher as a bacon cheeseburger!
Good: With a quote from a different romantic comedy from the '30's or '40's at the beginning of every chapter, I could make a new list on listchallenges.com. Even if I couldn't tell if each quote had any relevance to what happened in the chapter.
Bad: Absolutely no explanation about her relationship with Dexter, and why he would do such a dastardly thing as leave her at the altar.
Good: Includes a baking competition, which is why I was interested in the first place. If Sophie's cake was real, I'd like to see its picture on a Sunday Sweets post on cakewrecks.com.
Bad: Sophie's two best friends are lesbians. There is no discussion of different sexualities in the book; they never express puzzlement about hers, and she never does about theirs. This part of the book felt kind of shallow. I didn't much like the one who was always right, either.
Good: I loved Herman.
Bad: No closure with Sophie and her old boss.
This book reminds me of The Bagel restaurant. You can get a simulacrum of Jewish food, but there are bacon cheeseburgers on the menu. Nobody orthodox would eat there. Similarly, this book had some of the feeling of past days: old Jews, old hippies, old movies, a remnant of old Chicago holding on against neighborhood change. But apparently you can't hold back change. And so the old disappears, largely unmourned. So, in conclusion:
Good: This book gives an honest portrayal of how Chicago has changed for good.
Bad: This is heartbreaking.
June 17, 2016
Stacey Ballis is one of my favorite authors. I know I can always count on her for a feel-good read that incorporates Chicago, humor, dogs, romance, Jewish elements, and lots and lots of delicious sounding food. Wedding Girl is no exception, but it is now my favorite of all her books. (I know I say that each time she comes out with a new one, but she's really set the bar this time.)
It's rare that I want to marry a book (although I did with Marian Keyes' most recent novel), but fitting that it would be a book about weddings. From the moment I picked it up, I was transported into Sophie's world, complete with her embarrassing crisis at the beginning. I found myself laughing out loud many times and even getting teary-eyed. It was such a sweet story about redemption after hitting rock bottom. All the supporting characters added to the entertainment value. Especially Bubbles, Sophie's grandma who has a dog with a rather...um...interesting name. She made me miss my maternal grandmother all over again.
The story line is very much Nora Ephron, if her books and movies were to take place in Chicago. There was a level of predictability, but still some surprise elements and lots of guessing along the way. As a result, I enjoyed the ending a LOT! While some things felt too perfect, there was so much else going on in the story that those elements were needed to keep it flowing as nicely as it did. (Like how Sophie's online business came about. It seemed way too easy in the beginning, but it became stressful for her in other ways.)
As for the food....it was all so decadent. The pastry chef angle enhanced this aspect. I must warn you not to read this on an empty stomach because you will want to go and buy a whole cake afterward and just eat it all by yourself. She even made ingredients I don't like sound appetizing.
Wedding Girl was a treat from beginning to end and I recommend picking it up and digging in!
Of course, no review of a Stacey Ballis novel would be complete without some movie casting ideas. Here are a few to whet your "appetite."
Sophie: Marissa Jaret Winokur
Bubbles: Frances Sternhagen
Amelia: Ali Cobrin
Mark: Luke Wilson
To learn more about Stacey, check out my interview with her at The Jewish Food Experience.
It's rare that I want to marry a book (although I did with Marian Keyes' most recent novel), but fitting that it would be a book about weddings. From the moment I picked it up, I was transported into Sophie's world, complete with her embarrassing crisis at the beginning. I found myself laughing out loud many times and even getting teary-eyed. It was such a sweet story about redemption after hitting rock bottom. All the supporting characters added to the entertainment value. Especially Bubbles, Sophie's grandma who has a dog with a rather...um...interesting name. She made me miss my maternal grandmother all over again.
The story line is very much Nora Ephron, if her books and movies were to take place in Chicago. There was a level of predictability, but still some surprise elements and lots of guessing along the way. As a result, I enjoyed the ending a LOT! While some things felt too perfect, there was so much else going on in the story that those elements were needed to keep it flowing as nicely as it did. (Like how Sophie's online business came about. It seemed way too easy in the beginning, but it became stressful for her in other ways.)
As for the food....it was all so decadent. The pastry chef angle enhanced this aspect. I must warn you not to read this on an empty stomach because you will want to go and buy a whole cake afterward and just eat it all by yourself. She even made ingredients I don't like sound appetizing.
Wedding Girl was a treat from beginning to end and I recommend picking it up and digging in!
Of course, no review of a Stacey Ballis novel would be complete without some movie casting ideas. Here are a few to whet your "appetite."
Sophie: Marissa Jaret Winokur
Bubbles: Frances Sternhagen
Amelia: Ali Cobrin
Mark: Luke Wilson
To learn more about Stacey, check out my interview with her at The Jewish Food Experience.
April 23, 2016
"Wedding Girl" is a light, breezy read to enjoy when you want a light, little something to enjoy for a few hours.
Sophie is a caring, smidgy overweight pastry chef who is trying to pull her life back together after being left high and dry at the alter with s staggering amount of wedding bills to pay off. Having fallen into a self-pitying depression that finds her tossed out of her job, she moves in with her Grandma Bubbles in hopes of paying down some debt and getting back on her feet.
Getting back on her feet entails working at a local bakery, attempting to keep the place afloat when a famous cupcake diva plans to launch an upper-scale bakery four blocks away. It also involves making some extra dough (get it, dough! I kill me!) as a wedding website font of knowledge. Hey, she learned a LOT while she was preparing for the wedding that wasn't. Might as well try to bank a few bucks off her experience. Finally, it includes falling for someone who is all wrong in all the right ways.
This is a not a deep, major thinking book. But, if you want to while away a few hours being teased by the delicious concoctions they bake up you won't be disappointed.
Sophie is a caring, smidgy overweight pastry chef who is trying to pull her life back together after being left high and dry at the alter with s staggering amount of wedding bills to pay off. Having fallen into a self-pitying depression that finds her tossed out of her job, she moves in with her Grandma Bubbles in hopes of paying down some debt and getting back on her feet.
Getting back on her feet entails working at a local bakery, attempting to keep the place afloat when a famous cupcake diva plans to launch an upper-scale bakery four blocks away. It also involves making some extra dough (get it, dough! I kill me!) as a wedding website font of knowledge. Hey, she learned a LOT while she was preparing for the wedding that wasn't. Might as well try to bank a few bucks off her experience. Finally, it includes falling for someone who is all wrong in all the right ways.
This is a not a deep, major thinking book. But, if you want to while away a few hours being teased by the delicious concoctions they bake up you won't be disappointed.
March 23, 2016
Fast paced and I couldn't put it down once I started to read. Top pastry chef Sophie Bernstein is dumped at the alter and left to pay for her once in a lifetime wedding she put on her credit cards because she knew her fiance would help pay them off once they were married. Now she has lost her job since her attitude has become so bad her mentor was forced to fire her, had to sell her condo since she can barely make the interest payments on her credit cards and moved in with her grandmother, Bubbles. But everything starts to look up when she goes to the local bakery and is offered an interim job except for the owner's son who thinks she is giving his father false hope on his struggling bakery. Great read. I would like to thank the Publisher and First To Read for the chance to read this ARC.
March 22, 2016
*Minor spoiler alert* I received a copy of Wedding Girl by Stacey Ballis from First To Read. It was lauded as a funny, sweet, sarcastic romantic comedy- it lived up to the hype. Sunshine Sophie Summer Karma Bernstein is getting ready to be married! While her parents don’t believe in the need for all the pomp and ceremony, Sophie does (and so do her credit cards). She has the dream dress, catering to die for, a cake that is lavishly unreal and a groom that…. Is gone. What’s a pastry chef/ jilted bride to do? Party, eat, get drunk and have terrible pics of herself posted everywhere of course. In the aftermath of finding herself a laughingstock on the internet and $50,000 in debt her life spirals out of control. Her work and personality suffer and she loses her prestigious job.
Moving in with Grandma (Bubbles) and her dog Snatch (there were so many jokes concerning that poor dog!). After looking for quite a while and finding herself all but blacklisted, Sophie takes a part time job at Langer’s, the old grocery store in the neighborhood. Herman Langer is kind and funny, forgiving and supportive. Sophie is breathing new life into the old recipes and bringing in the crowds. It may not be enough to fight the Cake Goddess when she moves into town, but it is nothing to sneeze at. Tiny problem… Herman Junior wants dad to give up the store and move into a retirement home. He worries for his father, and really, how long is a high profile baker like Sophie going to stay?
While all this is going on one of Sophie’s well-meaning friends starts a web page for her. She is now the semi-proud owner of Wedding Girl where your questions are answered for a fee. Sure Sophie’s own wedding didn’t end traditionally… but it was a hell of a party wasn’t it? And that money could put a dent in her credit debt. So here we are, baking, fighting, laughing at Snatch jokes (“quite scratching or you’ll be a bald Snatch!” “Who’s a Smelly Snatch”) and becoming a bit of a wedding planning guru. While here she Meets Jake, a man she helps with a bachelor party. The two begin to write back and forth and, sight unseen, Sophie is half mad for him. Problem is, she is also half mad for Mark (Herman Junior). When her life has finished unravelling and winds its way back together who will be at her side?
This book comes out May third, go get it!
On the adult content scale I give it a four- lots of language and innuendoes; but it’s all in good fun.
Moving in with Grandma (Bubbles) and her dog Snatch (there were so many jokes concerning that poor dog!). After looking for quite a while and finding herself all but blacklisted, Sophie takes a part time job at Langer’s, the old grocery store in the neighborhood. Herman Langer is kind and funny, forgiving and supportive. Sophie is breathing new life into the old recipes and bringing in the crowds. It may not be enough to fight the Cake Goddess when she moves into town, but it is nothing to sneeze at. Tiny problem… Herman Junior wants dad to give up the store and move into a retirement home. He worries for his father, and really, how long is a high profile baker like Sophie going to stay?
While all this is going on one of Sophie’s well-meaning friends starts a web page for her. She is now the semi-proud owner of Wedding Girl where your questions are answered for a fee. Sure Sophie’s own wedding didn’t end traditionally… but it was a hell of a party wasn’t it? And that money could put a dent in her credit debt. So here we are, baking, fighting, laughing at Snatch jokes (“quite scratching or you’ll be a bald Snatch!” “Who’s a Smelly Snatch”) and becoming a bit of a wedding planning guru. While here she Meets Jake, a man she helps with a bachelor party. The two begin to write back and forth and, sight unseen, Sophie is half mad for him. Problem is, she is also half mad for Mark (Herman Junior). When her life has finished unravelling and winds its way back together who will be at her side?
This book comes out May third, go get it!
On the adult content scale I give it a four- lots of language and innuendoes; but it’s all in good fun.
April 30, 2016
This happens to be the first book I have ever read by Stacey Ballis and I am hooked. The attention to detail was incredible, the character development was amazing and I loved the plot! I have never read a true foodie piece of fiction and I can't say enough about it! The description of the foods and recipes were to die for.
Pastry chef Sophie was planning the wedding of her dreams, she spared no expense from the flowers to the food. Dexter was the man of her dreams and this wedding would be a true depiction of that. Little did she know that as she was getting ready to walk down the isle (literally) her soon to be husband was no where to be found...And then they located him (I will not give away all the juicy details).
Fast forward to where Sophie ends up after all of this debacle takes place...
She moves in with her adorable Grandmother, Bubbles. What a sweet woman! And with the debt she amassed she needed a job ASAP!
One day she was picking up dinner items for Bubbles and she lands a job working at the friendly neighborhood bakery. Yes, it was a step down from what Sophie is used to but she needs to make a dime to pay back her mountain of debt and she would prefer to stay out of the public eye at the moment.
This story has so many fun twists and turns - Sophie makes a great friend after taking an order for her wedding cake, she has awesome friends who will support her in any way, she takes on a part time job that becomes a fun passion, and maybe even meets a hot guy or two along the way. From Chapter 1 to the end, Stacey does not disappoint. I can't wait to read more by this amazing author!
Pastry chef Sophie was planning the wedding of her dreams, she spared no expense from the flowers to the food. Dexter was the man of her dreams and this wedding would be a true depiction of that. Little did she know that as she was getting ready to walk down the isle (literally) her soon to be husband was no where to be found...And then they located him (I will not give away all the juicy details).
Fast forward to where Sophie ends up after all of this debacle takes place...
She moves in with her adorable Grandmother, Bubbles. What a sweet woman! And with the debt she amassed she needed a job ASAP!
One day she was picking up dinner items for Bubbles and she lands a job working at the friendly neighborhood bakery. Yes, it was a step down from what Sophie is used to but she needs to make a dime to pay back her mountain of debt and she would prefer to stay out of the public eye at the moment.
This story has so many fun twists and turns - Sophie makes a great friend after taking an order for her wedding cake, she has awesome friends who will support her in any way, she takes on a part time job that becomes a fun passion, and maybe even meets a hot guy or two along the way. From Chapter 1 to the end, Stacey does not disappoint. I can't wait to read more by this amazing author!
September 13, 2016
I'm a huge Stacey Ballis fan, and as expected, I loved this hard to put down book. I was immediately drawn into the story. I loved the relatable main character, Sophie. But the supporting characters really made the book, in my opinion. Everyone from Sophie's parents to her besties were so unique and delightful. I also loved how characters of previous books made guest appearances so you could "catch up". By the last page I wanted to move in with Bubbles, Sophie's grandmother... Wedding Girl will make you laugh, cry, and gasp. One problem though...Wedding Girl may be hazardous for your diet... Even though I finished the book I am still craving all the delicious baked treats Sophie made throughout the book (even ones I don't like).
May 22, 2016
What a fun book, I loved reading every minute.
July 24, 2017
Every once in a while, I get in the mood for a fluffy chick lit novel. This one came across my bargain page, so I picked up up for a couple of bucks on Kindle.
This book fit the bill -- it was quite fluffy and full of food descriptions. In fact, the food got to the point of skimming over it. I had the same issue with The Coincidence of Coconut Cake, so perhaps I should avoid food books!
Sophie is alright. She's hurt after her ex-fiance broke her heart and hijacked their business. She spent an ungodly amount on her wedding and is in serious debt, so she moves in with her grandma, Bubbles...who I picture as Betty White.
Sophie develops her own Ask Alice type of site for wedding consultation. She makes bank. She whines about making bank. She pays off her debt. She whines more about answering questions. Look, I get it -- if you're not pursuing your passion, it's not worth it. But have some gratitude, Sophie.
It was hella obvious who she would end up with at the end.
I don't know. It was a light, fluffy read. But I've read plenty of light, fluffy books and walked away feeling impressed and happy. This was not the case -- I found myself annoyed. Sophie fell flat as an MC, the love interest was boring, and the grandma was more interesting than anyone else. I simply wasn't into Sophie's spiral of self-loathing and angst.
This book fit the bill -- it was quite fluffy and full of food descriptions. In fact, the food got to the point of skimming over it. I had the same issue with The Coincidence of Coconut Cake, so perhaps I should avoid food books!
Sophie is alright. She's hurt after her ex-fiance broke her heart and hijacked their business. She spent an ungodly amount on her wedding and is in serious debt, so she moves in with her grandma, Bubbles...who I picture as Betty White.
Sophie develops her own Ask Alice type of site for wedding consultation. She makes bank. She whines about making bank. She pays off her debt. She whines more about answering questions. Look, I get it -- if you're not pursuing your passion, it's not worth it. But have some gratitude, Sophie.
It was hella obvious who she would end up with at the end.
I don't know. It was a light, fluffy read. But I've read plenty of light, fluffy books and walked away feeling impressed and happy. This was not the case -- I found myself annoyed. Sophie fell flat as an MC, the love interest was boring, and the grandma was more interesting than anyone else. I simply wasn't into Sophie's spiral of self-loathing and angst.
July 26, 2017
What an adorable, sweet, funny, cute book!! I can't believe I'm just now reading this author's books! I look forward to more.
Bubble, is hands down the best grandma ever in a book.
I did find the sudden they woke up after a night of sex to be jarring when it was such a clean book 75% or so through but it skipped the scene and mercifully wasn't described and behind scenes so still clean, just jarring and sudden. I also wish the ending "surprise" was more drawn out and dramatic lol. But overall, fabulous book!
Bubble, is hands down the best grandma ever in a book.
I did find the sudden they woke up after a night of sex to be jarring when it was such a clean book 75% or so through but it skipped the scene and mercifully wasn't described and behind scenes so still clean, just jarring and sudden. I also wish the ending "surprise" was more drawn out and dramatic lol. But overall, fabulous book!
June 11, 2017
Maybe three and half. Fun, easy book that will
make you hungry with all the food
Descriptions. The narrator is a pastry chef. I found the narrator sometimes a
Little irritating but I also think the book was about her redeeming herself for mistakes made.
make you hungry with all the food
Descriptions. The narrator is a pastry chef. I found the narrator sometimes a
Little irritating but I also think the book was about her redeeming herself for mistakes made.
June 25, 2017
I was raised kinda-Catholic in Oklahoma. But after reading this I feel like I have found a new family. The insight to the culture, history and food of this Jewish neighborhood in Chicago was all-consuming. I always enjoy Ballis’ writing and this was no exception. I completely enjoyed all of the quirks of this story and the many characters, but I hold a special place in my heart for Snatch.
September 25, 2020
Chick lit with baked goods. Works for me.
June 12, 2018
Stacey Ballis always does a great job with chick lit that has just enough depth to not be silly. And since they’re usually about chefs and include recipes in the back, they also make me hungry! I especially want to try Sophie's Mom's Noodle Kugel. Overall, I loved this book and the characters - I'm always surprised Stacey Ballis isn't more popular.
June 17, 2017
3.5, fun and cute. I love that it is set in Chicago too. Great light summer read. My second by this author
June 29, 2016
Please note that I gave this book 4.5 stars, but rounded up to 5 stars on Goodreads.
Don't read this book if you are even a little bit hungry. I know that previous Ballis books often incorporate cooking/baking into the plot, but this is the first one that actually made me hungry while reading. I am going to give Ballis a little bit grief though, everyone of her books except for one I think stars a women who is a certain size, with brown hair, and is usually Jewish. All of these books I think except for two that I can think of take place in Chicago too. I know a writer writes what they know, but it be nice to see her change it up in future books.
The main character in "Wedding Girl" is Sophie Bernstein. Sophie is a top pastry chef at a hot Chicago restaurant. Excited that she is about to be married to her long-time boyfriend Dexter (never trust a man named Dexter) and open a restaurant together, she thinks that her life is turning out perfect.
Though Sophie has spent thousands of dollars she can't afford on their special day, she knows that when Dexter gets access to his trust fund everything will be a-okay. Until Dexter runs off with another woman, and Sophie finds out minutes before her ceremony is about to start. Cue 9 months later when Sophie is at her lowest and is forced to move back in with her grandmother Bubbles.
I felt for Sophie. She looks back on her relationship with Dexter and realizes that he wasn't right for her. But man oh man I wanted something shitty to happen to him while I was reading this book. I am all about the vengeance. I have to give it to Ballis though, it would have been easy to write Dexter as coming crawling back to Sophie, but instead his life is great and he doesn't seem to give a crap about her (he sucks).
Though I did feel for Sophie, I also could see why her two best friends Jean and Ruth gave her a firm kick in the pants about moving on. Sophie wallowed and it cost her everything.
Though Sophie wants to run and hide, she decides to take a job at the local bakery near her grandmother's house and does what she can to help out the owner when it becomes clear a new bakery is coming to the neighborhood. And after a customer comes in looking for Sophie to bake her a wedding cake, Sophie befriends the woman and ends up getting into another business that she hopes can help pay down her debt (anonymous advice giver concerning weddings). Due to this, Sophie ends up "meeting" someone named Jake online and starts to write emails back and forth to him through the book, culminating with them finally meeting in the end.
I thought all of the other characters in this book were hilarious and funny. Sophie's grandmother has a dog named Snatch and does not seem to understand why naming the dog and screaming where's my Snatch out loud may be a problem.
Also Sophie's two hippie parents finally decide to settle down after coming into money which turns her mother into a slightly insane person and her father trying to do his best to hide out.
There are also really hilarious scenes in this book. One of my favorites shows Sophie's friend Jean with her new girlfriend and Sophie and Ruth attending a surprise party and I died. I mean seriously. I re-read that whole scene about 10 times because it was so well done that I cracked up. I don't think that I laughed through a Ballis book this much before and I laughed almost the whole way through this one.
I thought the writing was really great in this one. And I love that Ballis incorporated famous lines said in romantic black and white movies. I love, love, love, old movies and it was nice to see how they played into the overall theme of the book.
I do think that the flow could have been just a bit better. There were just a few times that the book slowed down for me and I felt like I was just trudging along.
The setting of Chicago is once again excellently captured in this book. Ballis lives there and it shows based on the way neighborhoods and buildings are described.
I did think the ending was a bit abrupt, but it ended like a very old black and white movie. I could actually picture end credits with the hero and heroine in each other's arms kissing.
Don't read this book if you are even a little bit hungry. I know that previous Ballis books often incorporate cooking/baking into the plot, but this is the first one that actually made me hungry while reading. I am going to give Ballis a little bit grief though, everyone of her books except for one I think stars a women who is a certain size, with brown hair, and is usually Jewish. All of these books I think except for two that I can think of take place in Chicago too. I know a writer writes what they know, but it be nice to see her change it up in future books.
The main character in "Wedding Girl" is Sophie Bernstein. Sophie is a top pastry chef at a hot Chicago restaurant. Excited that she is about to be married to her long-time boyfriend Dexter (never trust a man named Dexter) and open a restaurant together, she thinks that her life is turning out perfect.
Though Sophie has spent thousands of dollars she can't afford on their special day, she knows that when Dexter gets access to his trust fund everything will be a-okay. Until Dexter runs off with another woman, and Sophie finds out minutes before her ceremony is about to start. Cue 9 months later when Sophie is at her lowest and is forced to move back in with her grandmother Bubbles.
I felt for Sophie. She looks back on her relationship with Dexter and realizes that he wasn't right for her. But man oh man I wanted something shitty to happen to him while I was reading this book. I am all about the vengeance. I have to give it to Ballis though, it would have been easy to write Dexter as coming crawling back to Sophie, but instead his life is great and he doesn't seem to give a crap about her (he sucks).
Though I did feel for Sophie, I also could see why her two best friends Jean and Ruth gave her a firm kick in the pants about moving on. Sophie wallowed and it cost her everything.
Though Sophie wants to run and hide, she decides to take a job at the local bakery near her grandmother's house and does what she can to help out the owner when it becomes clear a new bakery is coming to the neighborhood. And after a customer comes in looking for Sophie to bake her a wedding cake, Sophie befriends the woman and ends up getting into another business that she hopes can help pay down her debt (anonymous advice giver concerning weddings). Due to this, Sophie ends up "meeting" someone named Jake online and starts to write emails back and forth to him through the book, culminating with them finally meeting in the end.
I thought all of the other characters in this book were hilarious and funny. Sophie's grandmother has a dog named Snatch and does not seem to understand why naming the dog and screaming where's my Snatch out loud may be a problem.
Also Sophie's two hippie parents finally decide to settle down after coming into money which turns her mother into a slightly insane person and her father trying to do his best to hide out.
There are also really hilarious scenes in this book. One of my favorites shows Sophie's friend Jean with her new girlfriend and Sophie and Ruth attending a surprise party and I died. I mean seriously. I re-read that whole scene about 10 times because it was so well done that I cracked up. I don't think that I laughed through a Ballis book this much before and I laughed almost the whole way through this one.
I thought the writing was really great in this one. And I love that Ballis incorporated famous lines said in romantic black and white movies. I love, love, love, old movies and it was nice to see how they played into the overall theme of the book.
I do think that the flow could have been just a bit better. There were just a few times that the book slowed down for me and I felt like I was just trudging along.
The setting of Chicago is once again excellently captured in this book. Ballis lives there and it shows based on the way neighborhoods and buildings are described.
I did think the ending was a bit abrupt, but it ended like a very old black and white movie. I could actually picture end credits with the hero and heroine in each other's arms kissing.
May 12, 2016
I received a review copy
Weddings and food are two of my favorite topics to read about, so I figured Wedding Girl would be a good choice for me. While it ended up not being a favorite, it was still an interesting read, with plenty of plot twists along the way. The first chapter was a little so-so for me. The run-on sentences, especially when describing food, was a little much for me, and it was pretty clear right in the beginning that Sophie was not in a good relationship and I wasn’t sure how she didn’t quite put the pieces together. The way Sophie wallowed after her wedding was called off didn’t speak too highly of our main character either and how she treated those around her, but I was happy to see once she finally started to take charge of her life again, even though she appeared to think her new job was beneath her.
Like I mentioned, there were plenty of plot twists, including a big one revealed at the end, and secrets that several characters are holding. It’s sure to keep you on your toes. For the most part I did enjoy the baking scenes except sometimes they were a little drawn out, and the cast of secondary characters were fun to read about – especially Bubbles and Snatch. Sophie I found hard to connect with at times, but overall I found Wedding Girl to be an interesting read and plenty of light-hearted humor throughout.
3.5 stars
Weddings and food are two of my favorite topics to read about, so I figured Wedding Girl would be a good choice for me. While it ended up not being a favorite, it was still an interesting read, with plenty of plot twists along the way. The first chapter was a little so-so for me. The run-on sentences, especially when describing food, was a little much for me, and it was pretty clear right in the beginning that Sophie was not in a good relationship and I wasn’t sure how she didn’t quite put the pieces together. The way Sophie wallowed after her wedding was called off didn’t speak too highly of our main character either and how she treated those around her, but I was happy to see once she finally started to take charge of her life again, even though she appeared to think her new job was beneath her.
Like I mentioned, there were plenty of plot twists, including a big one revealed at the end, and secrets that several characters are holding. It’s sure to keep you on your toes. For the most part I did enjoy the baking scenes except sometimes they were a little drawn out, and the cast of secondary characters were fun to read about – especially Bubbles and Snatch. Sophie I found hard to connect with at times, but overall I found Wedding Girl to be an interesting read and plenty of light-hearted humor throughout.
3.5 stars
March 7, 2017
This is my favorite book so far this Spring! I loved Sophie! The cast of characters were great, especially Bubbles, Sophie's 80 something grandmother, what a lively and fun lady, I would love to have a relative like Bubbles. Sophie's hippy parents were great as well, their support of Sophie's situation was so endearing to me. I would have to say that to me this book was more like the Judy Garland movie, In The Good Ole Summertime, which just happens to be one of my all time favorite movies, I am a big fan of old movies. I enjoyed the old-fashioned feel of this book, the neighborhood bakery that Sophie helps to bring back to life, the old Chicago neighborhood, I felt like I was there with Sophie, that's how good the description of the setting is. Herman, the bakery owner is another favorite of mine, what a sweetheart!
Grab a cookie or a pastry and enjoy!This review was originally posted on
Grab a cookie or a pastry and enjoy!This review was originally posted on
April 30, 2016
This book. Was. So. Much. Fun. I'm so glad I read it! Thank you, Goodreads/Berkley Publishing House, for this advance copy... I loved it!!
There's so much more to this book that meets the eye. So much more than just Sophie left jilted at the altar. This book boasts a cast of colorful and quirky characters: Sophie's lesbian best friends; her (unmarried) parents; her grandma, Bubbles; Bubbles´ dog, Snatch; and a very mysterious stranger Sophie meets online.
You'll be drooling at the mouth with all the amazing food descriptions. Sophie is a rock star, both in the kitchen and out, and her life is only a little predictable. Read this for the fluffy, picture- perfect romantic ending!
There's so much more to this book that meets the eye. So much more than just Sophie left jilted at the altar. This book boasts a cast of colorful and quirky characters: Sophie's lesbian best friends; her (unmarried) parents; her grandma, Bubbles; Bubbles´ dog, Snatch; and a very mysterious stranger Sophie meets online.
You'll be drooling at the mouth with all the amazing food descriptions. Sophie is a rock star, both in the kitchen and out, and her life is only a little predictable. Read this for the fluffy, picture- perfect romantic ending!
July 24, 2016
http://openbooksociety.com/article/we...
Wedding Girl
By Stacey Ballis
ISBN13: 9780425276617
Author’s Website: http://www.staceyballis.com
Review brought to you by OBS reviewer Andra
Review:
As an introduction to the writing of Stephanie Ballis, this was wonderful. Full of romance, humor, and food that sounds delicious! I swear, I gained five pounds just reading this book…. or at least I will when I try some of the recipes at the end of the book
Wedding Girl
By Stacey Ballis
ISBN13: 9780425276617
Author’s Website: http://www.staceyballis.com
Review brought to you by OBS reviewer Andra
Review:
As an introduction to the writing of Stephanie Ballis, this was wonderful. Full of romance, humor, and food that sounds delicious! I swear, I gained five pounds just reading this book…. or at least I will when I try some of the recipes at the end of the book
June 18, 2016
I really like Stacey Ballis' books, and this one is no exception. Sophie is a pastry chef trying to get her life back together after it implodes. Not only is this a great glimpse into the baking world, but it's also a warm, fuzzy book with a central character who is "plus-sized." Bonus: Recipes at the end.
August 14, 2016
Highly entertaining & a fun read. The characters had me smiling and snickering as I read it (snatch & munch), & the food descriptions had me reaching for Google to find similar recipes. A great story about handling the curve balls life throws at you, and making it through them better than you were before.
June 24, 2016
I think I gain weight just reading a book by Stacey Ballis. This was one of my favorites. Great romantic storyline plus wonderful family and friends to support Sophie.
May 29, 2016
I love this author's writing style. She writes with a dry sense of humor and it translates to some realistic characters. Great story.
July 17, 2019
3.5 stars
There were lots of things I liked about this novel: the characters had some heft and were very entertaining, the writing was decent, and the plot had some good pacing to it (with the exception of the first two chapters.) So it was an enjoyable summer read and I'm glad I read it.
However. HOWEVER, there were just some things that irritated me to no end. First, the main character Sophie, despite being multifaceted, never had any real character development. After her hastily described rock bottom moments in the first chapters of the book, her growth remained fairly stagnant. Yes, her circumstances changed but not through her growth and development. And while I liked this character's pluck and determination, I wanted to shake her just a little bit.
Another thing that got on my nerves was the CONSTANT mentioning of food. I get it's a foodie kind of a book, and I love that stuff. And I truly appreciated that it seemed like the author knew her food, but man, there was so much of it in this novel. In the very first chapter the description of the wedding food goes on for PAGES. It was so out of balance compared to the time devoted to characters or action. All of which made the first two chapters feel like a huge information dump given to the reader to get them to where the author truly wanted to start the story of how Sophie pulls herself up by her bootstraps and takes back her life.
Finally, the side plot of friend Jean's romance with Hanna was underwhelming. It either needed more fleshing out like the side plot of Bubble's secret relationship or it just needed to be scrapped altogether. Sadly, it was just this weird blip in the overall plot that did more to make Sophie and Ruth seem like small jerks than it added to the comic relief.
So at the end, I am left with a book that I genuinely enjoyed, but one that I find easier to criticize than praise.
There were lots of things I liked about this novel: the characters had some heft and were very entertaining, the writing was decent, and the plot had some good pacing to it (with the exception of the first two chapters.) So it was an enjoyable summer read and I'm glad I read it.
However. HOWEVER, there were just some things that irritated me to no end. First, the main character Sophie, despite being multifaceted, never had any real character development. After her hastily described rock bottom moments in the first chapters of the book, her growth remained fairly stagnant. Yes, her circumstances changed but not through her growth and development. And while I liked this character's pluck and determination, I wanted to shake her just a little bit.
Another thing that got on my nerves was the CONSTANT mentioning of food. I get it's a foodie kind of a book, and I love that stuff. And I truly appreciated that it seemed like the author knew her food, but man, there was so much of it in this novel. In the very first chapter the description of the wedding food goes on for PAGES. It was so out of balance compared to the time devoted to characters or action. All of which made the first two chapters feel like a huge information dump given to the reader to get them to where the author truly wanted to start the story of how Sophie pulls herself up by her bootstraps and takes back her life.
Finally, the side plot of friend Jean's romance with Hanna was underwhelming. It either needed more fleshing out like the side plot of Bubble's secret relationship or it just needed to be scrapped altogether. Sadly, it was just this weird blip in the overall plot that did more to make Sophie and Ruth seem like small jerks than it added to the comic relief.
So at the end, I am left with a book that I genuinely enjoyed, but one that I find easier to criticize than praise.
October 23, 2018
I had a couple problems with this book. It was really meant for a "foodie" which I am not. And though I enjoy books about starting a food related business (think Jenny Colgan), this one went waaaayyyy over board for my tastes. I am not a Food network gal.
Also hard to believe the ex never makes ANY contact after the jilting. I mean a text would have delivered the callous feel and been more believable, they dated for 3 years! They also were going into business together so there seems like there would have been contractual things that needed to be dealt with afterward.
There was also a lot of Chicago food-related "name" dropping. The amount of food Sophie consumes floored me and I am about 30 pounds over weight. The unhealthy nature of her eating and not caring turned me off. I think you can own a larger size but when you don't even attempt to be healthy, not necessarily skinny, that turns me off.
Last annoying thing is the reason for the spoiler. The "You've Got Mail"/ "Little shop around the corner" was a total ripoff and very predictable. I can't believe there wasn't any anger at the deception. These people weren't enemies, as In the movies listed above. So it didn't make much sense for the long deception on Mark's part. Also the author never explains his "complicated" relationship that he had a hard time getting out of. That made no sense. I thought the ending was anticlimactic. Would have been better if there had been a slip up that caused h to figure out the secret identity of Jake.
Also hard to believe the ex never makes ANY contact after the jilting. I mean a text would have delivered the callous feel and been more believable, they dated for 3 years! They also were going into business together so there seems like there would have been contractual things that needed to be dealt with afterward.
There was also a lot of Chicago food-related "name" dropping. The amount of food Sophie consumes floored me and I am about 30 pounds over weight. The unhealthy nature of her eating and not caring turned me off. I think you can own a larger size but when you don't even attempt to be healthy, not necessarily skinny, that turns me off.
Last annoying thing is the reason for the spoiler. The "You've Got Mail"/ "Little shop around the corner" was a total ripoff and very predictable. I can't believe there wasn't any anger at the deception. These people weren't enemies, as In the movies listed above. So it didn't make much sense for the long deception on Mark's part. Also the author never explains his "complicated" relationship that he had a hard time getting out of. That made no sense. I thought the ending was anticlimactic. Would have been better if there had been a slip up that caused h to figure out the secret identity of Jake.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 25, 2019
This is ideal chick lit. Sophie is left at the altar, moves in with her grandmother, and starts working at a local neighborhood bakery. On the side, to help pay for her wedding debt, she starts giving wedding advice on the Internet.
The characters are well rounded, the various businesses are handled realistically (though I continue to wonder whether she paid taxes on that Wedding Girl income), there are multiple storylines that are given depth. Various plot points aren't a surprise, but it's still done well enough to be enjoyable. In particular, Sophie's choices about what she wanted to do with her career weren't telegraphed.
Other than Ballis's odd relationship with contractions--I frequently stumbled over her using "it is" instead of "it's"--this was fantastic. Was it a bit contrived? Of course it was, but in a completely charming way. I didn't want to put this book down, and am almost reluctant to try another Ballis book because I enjoyed this one so much.
The characters are well rounded, the various businesses are handled realistically (though I continue to wonder whether she paid taxes on that Wedding Girl income), there are multiple storylines that are given depth. Various plot points aren't a surprise, but it's still done well enough to be enjoyable. In particular, Sophie's choices about what she wanted to do with her career weren't telegraphed.
Other than Ballis's odd relationship with contractions--I frequently stumbled over her using "it is" instead of "it's"--this was fantastic. Was it a bit contrived? Of course it was, but in a completely charming way. I didn't want to put this book down, and am almost reluctant to try another Ballis book because I enjoyed this one so much.
November 2, 2018
4 stars
The reading of this book was an equivalent to take a long winded stroll with nowhere to get but still enjoying the walk and visuals on the way. This book could have been shorter, but I don't think that was the author's intent. The plot starts with a well used down on her luck heroine, dumped at the altar trying to rebuild her life back. But the best part was there were no dramatic confrontations, no extreme make overs, behaviours. Just plain old good food, good friends, a sassy grandma, lovely pen pal and potential leading man doing the trick. This might seem like a lot, but there were portions of the book where the heroine just goes about the duties of her day with no significance to the plot. In the end everything ties up and it's reminiscent of some rom-coms you might have seen but the author does it justice to create the build up although you know how it's going to end. Bubbles is my most favorite character in the book, aside from the leads. The constant reference to food, cake and pastries is bound to make the readers have hunger pangs. A perfectly pleasant read...
The reading of this book was an equivalent to take a long winded stroll with nowhere to get but still enjoying the walk and visuals on the way. This book could have been shorter, but I don't think that was the author's intent. The plot starts with a well used down on her luck heroine, dumped at the altar trying to rebuild her life back. But the best part was there were no dramatic confrontations, no extreme make overs, behaviours. Just plain old good food, good friends, a sassy grandma, lovely pen pal and potential leading man doing the trick. This might seem like a lot, but there were portions of the book where the heroine just goes about the duties of her day with no significance to the plot. In the end everything ties up and it's reminiscent of some rom-coms you might have seen but the author does it justice to create the build up although you know how it's going to end. Bubbles is my most favorite character in the book, aside from the leads. The constant reference to food, cake and pastries is bound to make the readers have hunger pangs. A perfectly pleasant read...
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