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Don't Tell #1
Sag einfach nur ja
Der erste Teil der romantischen Hochzeits-Trilogie rund um die sympathische Heldin Penny lädt Leserinnen zum Mitfiebern, Mitfreuen, Mitseufzen und Mitschmunzeln ein.
Wenn Sie Hochzeiten und alles rund um das Thema Liebe und Romantik mögen und vielleicht schon heimlich Ihre eigene Traum-Hochzeit geplant haben, dann ist die neue Serie um Penny Robinson genau das Richtige für Sie.
In Teil 1 schmiedet Penny große Pläne für ihre Hochzeit. Ein unvergessliches Fest soll es werden, märchenhaft, romantisch und perfekt bis ins kleinste Detail. Um ihre Träume wahr werden zu lassen, haben sie und ihr Freund Mark eigens ein Hochzeits-Konto angelegt, auf das sie monatlich Geld einzahlen. Denn so eine Märchenhochzeit ist nicht gerade billig.
Als Mark endlich um ihre Hand anhält, will Penny sofort mit den Vorbereitungen für den großen Tag beginnen. Doch dann stellt sie entsetzt fest, dass sie den Großteil des Geldes beim Online-Bingo verzockt hat - und nicht vermehrt, wie sie ursprünglich dachte. Das darf Mark auf keinen Fall erfahren! Damit die Traumhochzeit trotzdem stattfinden kann, ist Pennys ganzer Einfallsreichtum gefragt.
Wenn Sie Hochzeiten und alles rund um das Thema Liebe und Romantik mögen und vielleicht schon heimlich Ihre eigene Traum-Hochzeit geplant haben, dann ist die neue Serie um Penny Robinson genau das Richtige für Sie.
In Teil 1 schmiedet Penny große Pläne für ihre Hochzeit. Ein unvergessliches Fest soll es werden, märchenhaft, romantisch und perfekt bis ins kleinste Detail. Um ihre Träume wahr werden zu lassen, haben sie und ihr Freund Mark eigens ein Hochzeits-Konto angelegt, auf das sie monatlich Geld einzahlen. Denn so eine Märchenhochzeit ist nicht gerade billig.
Als Mark endlich um ihre Hand anhält, will Penny sofort mit den Vorbereitungen für den großen Tag beginnen. Doch dann stellt sie entsetzt fest, dass sie den Großteil des Geldes beim Online-Bingo verzockt hat - und nicht vermehrt, wie sie ursprünglich dachte. Das darf Mark auf keinen Fall erfahren! Damit die Traumhochzeit trotzdem stattfinden kann, ist Pennys ganzer Einfallsreichtum gefragt.
382 pages, Paperback
First published December 16, 2012
47 people are currently reading
1448 people want to read
About the author
Anna Bell
49 books455 followersAnna is represented by the Marsh Agency and published by Quercus. 'Don't Tell the Groom' is released in paperback 5th December 2013.
Anna also writes new adult fiction under the pen name Annabel Scott.
Anna also writes new adult fiction under the pen name Annabel Scott.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 127 reviews
November 22, 2014
5 Words: wedding, secrets, love, humour, family.
This is a book that I stayed up late reading. I just couldn't put it down.
Don't Tell the Groom is such a fun book. It's funny and flirty and it makes you smile, just as the cover and title imply. It's prefect for a rainy day to cheer you up and make you smile. And laugh.
The story follows Penny and her attempts to hide that fact that she's spent the wedding savings on online bingo. But it's not just that. It's the story of a young women who takes a good long look at herself and does something about what she's done wrong. It's as much a story about love and marriage as it is about overcoming addiction and having the support of your family.
I did wish that Penny would just own up at a few points in the book, but I also understood why she kept her secret. And it made for a dramatic ending!
This was an impulse buy for me as I love Don't Tell The Bride, and I'm glad I bought it. It was a really fun read with a great message. And great ideas.
This is a book that I stayed up late reading. I just couldn't put it down.
Don't Tell the Groom is such a fun book. It's funny and flirty and it makes you smile, just as the cover and title imply. It's prefect for a rainy day to cheer you up and make you smile. And laugh.
The story follows Penny and her attempts to hide that fact that she's spent the wedding savings on online bingo. But it's not just that. It's the story of a young women who takes a good long look at herself and does something about what she's done wrong. It's as much a story about love and marriage as it is about overcoming addiction and having the support of your family.
I did wish that Penny would just own up at a few points in the book, but I also understood why she kept her secret. And it made for a dramatic ending!
This was an impulse buy for me as I love Don't Tell The Bride, and I'm glad I bought it. It was a really fun read with a great message. And great ideas.
November 2, 2016
Honestly, this was such a wonderful, lovely book!
It's about Penny and her boyfriend Mark, who finally proposes. Penny couldn't be happier, as she is finally able to have the fairytale wedding she has been planning for forever: fairytale castle, Vera Wang wedding dress, Jimmy Choo shoes, white doves... but as she realises almost all of her savings somehow went down the drain, she is forced to turn her princess-wedding into a wedding on a budget. And all that without telling her fiancé any of it...
Oh goodness, I loved everything about this book. Penny was a really lovely, relateable girl and Mark was such a wonderful man! I loved both of them, and I loved Penny's best friend Lou. All of the characters were wonderful, really. Even the ones I first thought were the 'bad' ones.
The idea of the story was also great, as I haven't read anything like that before, and I do read quite a lot of chick-lit, so fresh, new ideas are always welcome!
I honestly cannot name a single thing that bothered me.
Also, I cannot wait to start part two of the series. I am more than excited about reading more about Penny and Mark (and Lou)! ♥
It's about Penny and her boyfriend Mark, who finally proposes. Penny couldn't be happier, as she is finally able to have the fairytale wedding she has been planning for forever: fairytale castle, Vera Wang wedding dress, Jimmy Choo shoes, white doves... but as she realises almost all of her savings somehow went down the drain, she is forced to turn her princess-wedding into a wedding on a budget. And all that without telling her fiancé any of it...
Oh goodness, I loved everything about this book. Penny was a really lovely, relateable girl and Mark was such a wonderful man! I loved both of them, and I loved Penny's best friend Lou. All of the characters were wonderful, really. Even the ones I first thought were the 'bad' ones.
The idea of the story was also great, as I haven't read anything like that before, and I do read quite a lot of chick-lit, so fresh, new ideas are always welcome!
I honestly cannot name a single thing that bothered me.
Also, I cannot wait to start part two of the series. I am more than excited about reading more about Penny and Mark (and Lou)! ♥
September 7, 2017
It all started with the constant unpleasant feeling that something really awkward is happening any second due to her not telling the truth and stuff. But that didn't happen! What a relief. This kind of made me not want to read any further. But afterwards I was glad I did continue. It turned out to be a great and quick read.
In the end, a lot of those expected dooms turned out in a different than imagined, but still wonderful way.
Also very great was that there weren't any doubts about loyalty (from Penny's side at least). She really loved her fiancé. So instead of cheating and stuff, it was all about the mess she made and how she got out of it.
Some minor bits that I didn't like:
That 'running gag' about Penny being absent-minded and daydreaming was a bit hmph after a while.
For a while, she repeated certain topics like lost money, gambling, don't tell the truth over and over again without making any progress at all. I didn't know. It felt like stretching the story into 8383 additional pages or something.
But well, apart from that, I really was pleasantly surprised by this book.
In the end, a lot of those expected dooms turned out in a different than imagined, but still wonderful way.
Also very great was that there weren't any doubts about loyalty (from Penny's side at least). She really loved her fiancé. So instead of cheating and stuff, it was all about the mess she made and how she got out of it.
Some minor bits that I didn't like:
That 'running gag' about Penny being absent-minded and daydreaming was a bit hmph after a while.
For a while, she repeated certain topics like lost money, gambling, don't tell the truth over and over again without making any progress at all. I didn't know. It felt like stretching the story into 8383 additional pages or something.
But well, apart from that, I really was pleasantly surprised by this book.
December 19, 2025
This was so good!
The book was in my TBR pile for a long time, but when I finally read it, I was happily surprised by the witty plot, writing, and situations.
Loved the couple; they were so cute at times!
The only con for me is Penny, the FL, was a lot of times in her own thoughts when someone was talking or saying something. It would've been nice if that happened once or twice, but it kind of became repetitive.
Apart from that, the book is definitely going in my reread section.
Fun Fact: My paperback copy is all dog-eared up. It's just that the whole novel was filled with funny and cute romantic moments.
The book was in my TBR pile for a long time, but when I finally read it, I was happily surprised by the witty plot, writing, and situations.
Loved the couple; they were so cute at times!
The only con for me is Penny, the FL, was a lot of times in her own thoughts when someone was talking or saying something. It would've been nice if that happened once or twice, but it kind of became repetitive.
Apart from that, the book is definitely going in my reread section.
Fun Fact: My paperback copy is all dog-eared up. It's just that the whole novel was filled with funny and cute romantic moments.
January 7, 2015
Non ditelo allo sposo
Vorrei essere al posto di Lou ed essere la migliore amica di Penny, la simpaticissima protagonista del romanzo di ANNA BELL. Vorrei essere io quella a cui confida i suoi incresciosi segreti, come quel suo vizio che le causa incubi da estratto conto bancario quando giunge sul punto di sposarsi con il suo amato Mark.
In realtà, anche Lou ha un grosso segreto con la sua amica Penny e non sa come rivelarle la verità. In molti hanno dei segreti in questa storia prematrimoniale.
È stata brava ANNA BELL a inventare questa brillante commedia romantica farcita di segreti e colpi di scena.
La protagonista Penny è una donna come tutte le altre ed anche lei sogna ad occhi aperti il suo matrimonio da favola con l’uomo che ama. Penny e Mark sono perfetti per stare insieme e, quando decidono di passare dalla convivenza ai preparativi per il matrimonio, c’è un solo ostacolo a contrapporsi al lieto evento. Peccato che la nonna di Mark insista per affrettare la cerimonia e Penny non abbia il tempo sufficiente per rimediare a quella sua debolezza al Bingo che potrebbe mettere a repentaglio il suo futuro con l’uomo che ama. Perché raccontargli tutto e deluderlo?
Penny deve affrontare le conseguenze di quel suo non tanto “innocuo” passatempo al Bingo. Ha risparmiato una vita per realizzare il suo sogno del matrimonio perfetto, ma è bastato un attimo (o più di uno) per far volatilizzare il denaro necessario. Penny non può confessare a Mark la sua terribile imprudenza, ma può cercare di rimediare. È così che capovolge la situazione del reality e inventa, per i preparativi della sua cerimonia, il NON DITELO ALLO SPOSO.
Più avvincente anche della Kinsella, la BELL propone una protagonista credibile, niente affatto surreale, veramente simpatica, capace di riflettere sul suo problema e, perché no, anche un po’ baciata dalla fortuna.
Lo stile è frizzante, brillante, spiazzante e ironico. Suscita buon umore, divertimento e romanticismo, pur trattando un problema serio, come quello della dipendenza dal gioco d'azzardo. Lo fa in modo leggero, ma anche simbolico e dona fiducia e speranza di venirne facilmente fuori. È un ottimo romanzo che vi farà divertire dall’inizio alla fine, superando di gran lunga gli altri chick lit cui siete abituate.
http://youtu.be/GtLwJebewO8
January 8, 2013
Penny and her boyfriend Mark on on different levels of their life plan, well Mark's life plan to be exact. Penny is at the 'getting married' stage, but Mark has yet to propose!
Whilst waiting for Mark to catch her up, Penny has been trying to add to their wedding savings but has taken her eye off the ball playing online bingo. Mark proposes and Penny discovers the wedding pot does not look as healthy as she expected.
In an attempt to salvage any chance of a future wedding let alone a decent wedding, Penny decides to convince Mark to let her plan the wedding as a surprise, like the tv reality show.
In the process Penny learns not only the true cost of a wedding, and how to budget but also realises that this is not just about the wedding but her reasons for wanting to marry Mark and spend the rest of her life with him.
Will she be able to pull off a stylish wedding on her minimal budget? Will she make it to the altar?
I instantly warmed to Penny and her plight. It is all too easy to let things slide and not realise how finances are changing. I enjoyed being part of her journey to organise a wedding on a tiny budget, but still make her groom proud of her. I could identify with her to some extent as I organised our wedding on a budget just last year.
Fabulous rom-com with the feel good factor.
I loved it! 9 out of 10 for me!
Thank you to the author for sending me a review copy for my honest opinion.
Whilst waiting for Mark to catch her up, Penny has been trying to add to their wedding savings but has taken her eye off the ball playing online bingo. Mark proposes and Penny discovers the wedding pot does not look as healthy as she expected.
In an attempt to salvage any chance of a future wedding let alone a decent wedding, Penny decides to convince Mark to let her plan the wedding as a surprise, like the tv reality show.
In the process Penny learns not only the true cost of a wedding, and how to budget but also realises that this is not just about the wedding but her reasons for wanting to marry Mark and spend the rest of her life with him.
Will she be able to pull off a stylish wedding on her minimal budget? Will she make it to the altar?
I instantly warmed to Penny and her plight. It is all too easy to let things slide and not realise how finances are changing. I enjoyed being part of her journey to organise a wedding on a tiny budget, but still make her groom proud of her. I could identify with her to some extent as I organised our wedding on a budget just last year.
Fabulous rom-com with the feel good factor.
I loved it! 9 out of 10 for me!
Thank you to the author for sending me a review copy for my honest opinion.
September 28, 2025
Ich fand das Buch super süß für so zwischendurch aber etwas besonderes ist es nicht. Dennoch sind mir zum Ende die Tränen gekommen, weil ich so mitgefiebert habe. Ich bin auch froh jetzt die nächsten Teile vom Buchclub lesen zu können und hoffe, dass ich wieder mehr Zeit dafür finde.
January 16, 2014
I think the cover of Don’t Tell The Groom is STUNNING, and I had heard lots of great things about this book and so I was excited to start reading.
Penny has lots of big plans for her wedding day – she wants a wedding celebration that will be unforgettable, and after having saved for a long time to have the perfect wedding, Mark finally ask her to marry him! But all is not as straight-forward as it seems – shortly after Penny checks her wedding fund she is horrified. Mark has absolutely no idea about how much time Penny spends gambling, and she can hardly tell him she’s spent more money than she thought on it. Her only choice is to get help for her addiction and plan a wedding on a much smaller budget. After coming up with the plan of surprising Mark on the day with their wedding plans, operation “Don’t Tell The Groom” starts….
I really enjoyed this. I warmed to Penny straight away, I loved her personality and I could particularly relate to her. Having got married myself last year I know the pressure of saving for a wedding, and then trying to create a perfect wedding on a budget, and how the money seems to disappear before your eyes! I really felt for Penny with her gambling addiction, I have no experience of this but I imagine it’s very easy to slip into this and have difficulty managing your finances. I was very proud of Penny that she was trying to sort things out in regard to the gambling and the wedding, and throughout the book I very much got behind her, and I was cheering her on all the way.
I really liked that gambling addiction was a theme in this, I haven’t read many books with this topic and I felt that Anna Bell handled this sensitively but with some humour too to make it an enjoyable read. Penny is so warm and so likeable that you just want everything to go right for her, and even though she’s had her problems with the gambling, I thoroughly enjoyed being on the journey with her as she tried to overcome this and plan a wedding to the love of her life too!
This is a novel to get lost in and enjoy. Don’t Tell The Groom is a light, easy to read book that will make you smile, laugh, and have you cheering Penny on as she discovers what a wedding really means, and along with her friends, works towards her big day!
Penny has lots of big plans for her wedding day – she wants a wedding celebration that will be unforgettable, and after having saved for a long time to have the perfect wedding, Mark finally ask her to marry him! But all is not as straight-forward as it seems – shortly after Penny checks her wedding fund she is horrified. Mark has absolutely no idea about how much time Penny spends gambling, and she can hardly tell him she’s spent more money than she thought on it. Her only choice is to get help for her addiction and plan a wedding on a much smaller budget. After coming up with the plan of surprising Mark on the day with their wedding plans, operation “Don’t Tell The Groom” starts….
I really enjoyed this. I warmed to Penny straight away, I loved her personality and I could particularly relate to her. Having got married myself last year I know the pressure of saving for a wedding, and then trying to create a perfect wedding on a budget, and how the money seems to disappear before your eyes! I really felt for Penny with her gambling addiction, I have no experience of this but I imagine it’s very easy to slip into this and have difficulty managing your finances. I was very proud of Penny that she was trying to sort things out in regard to the gambling and the wedding, and throughout the book I very much got behind her, and I was cheering her on all the way.
I really liked that gambling addiction was a theme in this, I haven’t read many books with this topic and I felt that Anna Bell handled this sensitively but with some humour too to make it an enjoyable read. Penny is so warm and so likeable that you just want everything to go right for her, and even though she’s had her problems with the gambling, I thoroughly enjoyed being on the journey with her as she tried to overcome this and plan a wedding to the love of her life too!
This is a novel to get lost in and enjoy. Don’t Tell The Groom is a light, easy to read book that will make you smile, laugh, and have you cheering Penny on as she discovers what a wedding really means, and along with her friends, works towards her big day!
June 3, 2017
Beau petit livre a lire! :)
March 18, 2019
Yes its silly, convenient and predictable but its well written, all the characters are adorable (except one) 😀but if you made the mistake of going to the beach in the morning and opened up the first page, you'd probably wake up burnt to a crisp as you would have carried on until you had turned the last page!!! Next please!! 😀
January 21, 2021
A cute rom com. Wish there was more of a climax
June 16, 2015
This is another example of me not reading the series in the right order. I read the third book of this series Don’t Tell The Brides-To-Be first. I absolutely loved it, it was charming, funny and so wonderful. It got me curious about how it all started, so here we go.
The story starts with Penny, our main character, dreaming about her dream wedding. She’s not engaged yet though…
That changes fast and Penny couldn’t be happier with her fiancé Mark. Trouble is following quickly when the topics of their wedding budget comes up and Penny realises that £10,000 is missing from the account.
She quickly comes up with the Don’t Tell the Groom thing and leaves Mark in the dark about it.
She lost it all doing online bingo and she now has to plan the wedding with a really small budget and in a really short time. No pressure at all… She is determined to get help though and she does, that’s where she meets her mentor Josh. She has to text or call him whenever she feels tempted.
Penny is such a lovely character full of passion and heart. It was such a joy following her story. I really felt for her and I was impressed what she did to make everything possible. Of course the lying to Mark I didn’t like, but it was part of the story and it needed to be part of the storyline.
I liked these two as a couple in the third book of the series and I also did here. Everything around the wedding planning was great to read about and Anna’s writing just made it all so charming. The scenes were funny, sparkly, endearing and just sweet.
Next to all this, Penny also had to deal with her best friend Lou being weird, but they eventually told each other the truth and I was glad Penny had her best friend when it got complicated.
Of course Mark was about to find out, all because of his nan, who saw Penny dealing with the secret. The big misunderstanding starts and Penny is really worried about the wedding, will Mark show up?!
This part of the story was really catchy, gripping and full of intense moments, I couldn’t put the book down!!!
I liked how Anna included the topic of gambling in the story. She took it very seriously and included it genuinely with some humour included, just perfect.
This book has a great storyline, memorable characters and much more! It’s stunning and full of sparks. I’m really excited for book 2 of the series now!!!
This story has it all!!! A charming storyline, authentic characters, witty scenes, touching moments and lots of surprises. I loved every single second of it and I can’t wait to read more Anna Bell books!
The story starts with Penny, our main character, dreaming about her dream wedding. She’s not engaged yet though…
That changes fast and Penny couldn’t be happier with her fiancé Mark. Trouble is following quickly when the topics of their wedding budget comes up and Penny realises that £10,000 is missing from the account.
She quickly comes up with the Don’t Tell the Groom thing and leaves Mark in the dark about it.
She lost it all doing online bingo and she now has to plan the wedding with a really small budget and in a really short time. No pressure at all… She is determined to get help though and she does, that’s where she meets her mentor Josh. She has to text or call him whenever she feels tempted.
Penny is such a lovely character full of passion and heart. It was such a joy following her story. I really felt for her and I was impressed what she did to make everything possible. Of course the lying to Mark I didn’t like, but it was part of the story and it needed to be part of the storyline.
I liked these two as a couple in the third book of the series and I also did here. Everything around the wedding planning was great to read about and Anna’s writing just made it all so charming. The scenes were funny, sparkly, endearing and just sweet.
Next to all this, Penny also had to deal with her best friend Lou being weird, but they eventually told each other the truth and I was glad Penny had her best friend when it got complicated.
Of course Mark was about to find out, all because of his nan, who saw Penny dealing with the secret. The big misunderstanding starts and Penny is really worried about the wedding, will Mark show up?!
This part of the story was really catchy, gripping and full of intense moments, I couldn’t put the book down!!!
I liked how Anna included the topic of gambling in the story. She took it very seriously and included it genuinely with some humour included, just perfect.
This book has a great storyline, memorable characters and much more! It’s stunning and full of sparks. I’m really excited for book 2 of the series now!!!
This story has it all!!! A charming storyline, authentic characters, witty scenes, touching moments and lots of surprises. I loved every single second of it and I can’t wait to read more Anna Bell books!
February 9, 2014
I found the main character too annoying to really like this book – those who can identify with her, or who enjoy the author's humour, will probably have a better experience of it than I did.
It was hard enough to relate to someone who has never voluntarily visited a museum and hasn't set foot in a library for years, but Penny is so self-centred she's oblivious to the obvious regarding her best friend, and the Big Lesson she is to learn in this story is that the relationship with her future husband is more important than getting married in a £3000(!) dress.
Once I'd suspended my disbelief that anyone could be shallow enough to need to learn this lesson, and once Penny got herself some relationships with other people, I quite enjoyed her journey to her inevitable destination, by way of some improbably heart-warming co-incidences and a dollop of melodrama. I'd probably rate it 2.5 – it's not a bad book, just not really to my taste.
I am disappointed, though, that the author chose to reinforce an outdated idea of public libraries for a cheap laugh (for anyone looking for wedding planning information, your local library will offer something considerably more recent than 1970). And sadly, especially in the current financial climate, the likelihood of finding a Citizens Advice Bureau empty of clients is round about nil.
It was hard enough to relate to someone who has never voluntarily visited a museum and hasn't set foot in a library for years, but Penny is so self-centred she's oblivious to the obvious regarding her best friend, and the Big Lesson she is to learn in this story is that the relationship with her future husband is more important than getting married in a £3000(!) dress.
Once I'd suspended my disbelief that anyone could be shallow enough to need to learn this lesson, and once Penny got herself some relationships with other people, I quite enjoyed her journey to her inevitable destination, by way of some improbably heart-warming co-incidences and a dollop of melodrama. I'd probably rate it 2.5 – it's not a bad book, just not really to my taste.
I am disappointed, though, that the author chose to reinforce an outdated idea of public libraries for a cheap laugh (for anyone looking for wedding planning information, your local library will offer something considerably more recent than 1970). And sadly, especially in the current financial climate, the likelihood of finding a Citizens Advice Bureau empty of clients is round about nil.
January 29, 2014
I didn't know what to expect when I started to read this book, especially when I read the blurb.
Penny on the face of it is selfish having wasted her money on online bingo, but having used these sites I know how easy it is to spend more than you planned and having friends that have got themselves into financial trouble, I did have sympathy with her when she discovered she hasn't enough for her wedding.
The books all about Penny trying to plan her wedding on a budget without telling her groom to be, she does start to get carried awayin parts but then it is her wedding after all.
A nice read that I enjoyed even though I prefer books with a bit more of a dark side to them. I would recommend to anyone who love chick-lit books.
Penny on the face of it is selfish having wasted her money on online bingo, but having used these sites I know how easy it is to spend more than you planned and having friends that have got themselves into financial trouble, I did have sympathy with her when she discovered she hasn't enough for her wedding.
The books all about Penny trying to plan her wedding on a budget without telling her groom to be, she does start to get carried awayin parts but then it is her wedding after all.
A nice read that I enjoyed even though I prefer books with a bit more of a dark side to them. I would recommend to anyone who love chick-lit books.
May 28, 2015
This was such good fun!
This story follows Penny, a self confessed gambling addict who - to her horror - spent all of her dream wedding fund on online bingo. She decides to hide this from her unsuspecting fiance and instead tries to plan the perfect day by herself on a very small budget. This is fluffy and uplifting and definitely one for brides-to-be! There are many, many useful wedding tips throughout!
I kind of liked the fact that the characters were based in my hometown, farnborough too! Just a little plus!
This story follows Penny, a self confessed gambling addict who - to her horror - spent all of her dream wedding fund on online bingo. She decides to hide this from her unsuspecting fiance and instead tries to plan the perfect day by herself on a very small budget. This is fluffy and uplifting and definitely one for brides-to-be! There are many, many useful wedding tips throughout!
I kind of liked the fact that the characters were based in my hometown, farnborough too! Just a little plus!
October 7, 2014
Absolutely loved this book. Penny is just my sort of character, and the book was full of humour, and the online bingo habit, just shows how gambling addiction can occur with anyone.
Think this may be the first book that I have read about wedddings on a budget, and its a novel concept, that just shows it is possible to have a dream day with less money.
Already loaded the sequel ready to be read onto my kindle!
Think this may be the first book that I have read about wedddings on a budget, and its a novel concept, that just shows it is possible to have a dream day with less money.
Already loaded the sequel ready to be read onto my kindle!
February 11, 2015
Mi ero convinta che sarebbe stato molto più divertente, avevo bisogno di prendere una pausa frizzantina, ma in realtà non è stato così. Volevo arrivare alla fine giusto per iniziara qualcosa di nuovo.
December 24, 2015
goed boek. leest heel vlot
July 31, 2016
Just couldn't get into to it or like any of the characters.
January 28, 2019
Das Buch war ganz nett, weder besonders gut noch besonders schlecht. Was mir gefallen hat, war das es in sich angeschlossen war obwohl es sich um eine Trilogie handelt.
June 29, 2020
Penny träumt davon, wie sie mit einem weißen Kleid wie eine Prinzessin in ihren Jimmy Choo’s zum Altar schreitet, um Mark zu heiraten.
Die Realität sieht ein bisschen anders aus, in einer alten Jeans und einem Schlabber-Pulli vom Feinsten versucht sie beim Online-Bingo das schnelle Geld zu machen, um sich daraus ihre Traumschuhe für ihre Hochzeit zu holen, für die sie noch nicht einmal den Antrag bekommen hat.
Richtig gehört: Sie ist noch nicht mal verlobt. Und wie beim Glücksspiel üblich auch keine Traumschuhe reicher, denn sie verliert kurz vorm Sieg.
Als Mark nach Hause kommt und mit ihr ausgehen möchte ist sie nur wenig begeistert, wirft sich dann aber doch in Schale.
Nach dem Dessert ist es soweit. Er fragt sie, ob sie ihn heiraten möchte. Euphorisch sagt sie ja und bietet auch gleich noch an die gesamte Hochzeitsorganisation zu übernehmen. Er darf nämlich nicht herausfinden, dass sie das extra über Jahre befüllte Hochzeitssparkonto für Glücksspiele missbraucht hat.
Das Buch war extrem unterhaltsam, es ging direkt auf der ersten Seite wahnsinnig lustig los und blieb bis zum Ende einfach nur unterhaltsam. Ich kann das Buch also mit reinem Gewissen jedem empfehlen, der gerne Liebesromane liest, die dann auch noch von Hochzeiten handeln, die ja allgemein den Ruf haben besonders romantisch aber auch kitschig zu sein. Das, was mir an diesem Roman besonders gefallen hat ist, dass es zwar ein Liebesroman ist, dabei aber auf keinen Fall schnulzig rüberkommt. Der Leser nimmt die Gefühle in der Beziehung wahr, empfindet sie aber nicht als schnulzig. Ich für meinen Teil habe jedenfalls bei zu schnulzigen Büchern schnell genug und ertrage das Lesen dann nicht mehr. Doch nicht bei diesem Buch, von vorne bis hinten einfach nur gut.
Auch mochte ich die Charakterentwicklung der Protagonistin Penny. Während sie zu Beginn noch sehr oberflächlich erscheint, in dem sie von dem Teuersten vom Teuersten träumt, als sie sich ihre Hochzeit in Gedanken ausmalt und auch nach dem Antrag ihres Traummanns eigentlich erstmal nur ihre eigenen Wünsche der Hochzeit im Kopf hat, merkt sie im Verlauf der Planung und ihrer gemachten Fehler, durch die Spielsucht, doch noch, worauf es eigentlich ankommt. Die Größe und der Preis der Hochzeit entscheidet nicht über die Zukunft und das Glück des Hochzeitspaares.
Alles in allem ein wirklich gelungener Liebesroman, vollgepackt mit humorvollen romantischen Szenen.
Meine vollständige Rezension, inkl. einer Übersicht über alle Charaktere, findet ihr auf meinem Buchblog: Resümee
Dort findet ihr auch einen Beitrag mit meinen Erwartungen an das Buch, bevor ich mit dem Lesen begonnen habe (plus Infos zur Autorin): Ausblick
Die Realität sieht ein bisschen anders aus, in einer alten Jeans und einem Schlabber-Pulli vom Feinsten versucht sie beim Online-Bingo das schnelle Geld zu machen, um sich daraus ihre Traumschuhe für ihre Hochzeit zu holen, für die sie noch nicht einmal den Antrag bekommen hat.
Richtig gehört: Sie ist noch nicht mal verlobt. Und wie beim Glücksspiel üblich auch keine Traumschuhe reicher, denn sie verliert kurz vorm Sieg.
Als Mark nach Hause kommt und mit ihr ausgehen möchte ist sie nur wenig begeistert, wirft sich dann aber doch in Schale.
Nach dem Dessert ist es soweit. Er fragt sie, ob sie ihn heiraten möchte. Euphorisch sagt sie ja und bietet auch gleich noch an die gesamte Hochzeitsorganisation zu übernehmen. Er darf nämlich nicht herausfinden, dass sie das extra über Jahre befüllte Hochzeitssparkonto für Glücksspiele missbraucht hat.
Das Buch war extrem unterhaltsam, es ging direkt auf der ersten Seite wahnsinnig lustig los und blieb bis zum Ende einfach nur unterhaltsam. Ich kann das Buch also mit reinem Gewissen jedem empfehlen, der gerne Liebesromane liest, die dann auch noch von Hochzeiten handeln, die ja allgemein den Ruf haben besonders romantisch aber auch kitschig zu sein. Das, was mir an diesem Roman besonders gefallen hat ist, dass es zwar ein Liebesroman ist, dabei aber auf keinen Fall schnulzig rüberkommt. Der Leser nimmt die Gefühle in der Beziehung wahr, empfindet sie aber nicht als schnulzig. Ich für meinen Teil habe jedenfalls bei zu schnulzigen Büchern schnell genug und ertrage das Lesen dann nicht mehr. Doch nicht bei diesem Buch, von vorne bis hinten einfach nur gut.
Auch mochte ich die Charakterentwicklung der Protagonistin Penny. Während sie zu Beginn noch sehr oberflächlich erscheint, in dem sie von dem Teuersten vom Teuersten träumt, als sie sich ihre Hochzeit in Gedanken ausmalt und auch nach dem Antrag ihres Traummanns eigentlich erstmal nur ihre eigenen Wünsche der Hochzeit im Kopf hat, merkt sie im Verlauf der Planung und ihrer gemachten Fehler, durch die Spielsucht, doch noch, worauf es eigentlich ankommt. Die Größe und der Preis der Hochzeit entscheidet nicht über die Zukunft und das Glück des Hochzeitspaares.
Alles in allem ein wirklich gelungener Liebesroman, vollgepackt mit humorvollen romantischen Szenen.
Meine vollständige Rezension, inkl. einer Übersicht über alle Charaktere, findet ihr auf meinem Buchblog: Resümee
Dort findet ihr auch einen Beitrag mit meinen Erwartungen an das Buch, bevor ich mit dem Lesen begonnen habe (plus Infos zur Autorin): Ausblick
September 1, 2021
I didn't think I was going to enjoy this book as much as I did, but lo and behold! I enjoyed it a lot!
Penny Holmes is your average character that dreams of a grand wedding for the longest time. Vera Wang wedding dresses, Jimmy Choo shoes, a whole castle rented out for her very own special day, she has it all planned and has fantasized it, leading her to play online bingo in hopes she could get lucky and maybe snatch that expensive wedding dress and shoes she has been eyeing. When her boyfriend-turned-fiance finally proposes to her, she is elated! But then, as she checks their wedding fund that they have saved up for even before the engagement, she is £10,000 short and she only has her gambling tendencies to blame. Not only that, she can't let her accountant fiance know and has to prepare for a wedding in three months time with only £5,000 to spend!
Penny's character is humorous, relatable and very average in a way that is refreshing to read. She has flaws and she doesn't shy away from them, instead she learns how to embrace them and ask for help when she has to. Even though it is her own doing that has led her to be in such a situation, she tries to make their wedding work and her intentions remain purely out of love for Mark even though, as quoted in the book, "[her motivations] were misguided." It was interesting to read on her efforts to save her wedding day and make it the best despite the small budget. Her character development is something I really like and there's a quote that really touched me.
"Mark had spun me round to that song and I'd felt like a princess. Ironic that Mark made me feel like a princess having spent no money, and yet I was convinced it would take at least twenty thousand pounds."
Penny's growth is one of the things I love most about this book. The people around her are also great! I'm glad she has such supportive people to help her out with her addiction and planning the wedding together. Although it would've been even better if there was more of Mark. I couldn't seem to grasp his character as well as I hoped to. It was the only thing lacking when I was reading this book.
The plot is something I've never read before but I'm pleased with it. The whole premise of a woman accidentally spending her wedding fund on gambling made for a very interesting storyline. The last few chapters of the book got me in a lot of emotions, and I think the pace really picked up there.
Overall, this book has been a fun read! I am convinced to read more of this genre and hopefully enjoy them as much as I did this one.
Penny Holmes is your average character that dreams of a grand wedding for the longest time. Vera Wang wedding dresses, Jimmy Choo shoes, a whole castle rented out for her very own special day, she has it all planned and has fantasized it, leading her to play online bingo in hopes she could get lucky and maybe snatch that expensive wedding dress and shoes she has been eyeing. When her boyfriend-turned-fiance finally proposes to her, she is elated! But then, as she checks their wedding fund that they have saved up for even before the engagement, she is £10,000 short and she only has her gambling tendencies to blame. Not only that, she can't let her accountant fiance know and has to prepare for a wedding in three months time with only £5,000 to spend!
Penny's character is humorous, relatable and very average in a way that is refreshing to read. She has flaws and she doesn't shy away from them, instead she learns how to embrace them and ask for help when she has to. Even though it is her own doing that has led her to be in such a situation, she tries to make their wedding work and her intentions remain purely out of love for Mark even though, as quoted in the book, "[her motivations] were misguided." It was interesting to read on her efforts to save her wedding day and make it the best despite the small budget. Her character development is something I really like and there's a quote that really touched me.
"Mark had spun me round to that song and I'd felt like a princess. Ironic that Mark made me feel like a princess having spent no money, and yet I was convinced it would take at least twenty thousand pounds."
Penny's growth is one of the things I love most about this book. The people around her are also great! I'm glad she has such supportive people to help her out with her addiction and planning the wedding together. Although it would've been even better if there was more of Mark. I couldn't seem to grasp his character as well as I hoped to. It was the only thing lacking when I was reading this book.
The plot is something I've never read before but I'm pleased with it. The whole premise of a woman accidentally spending her wedding fund on gambling made for a very interesting storyline. The last few chapters of the book got me in a lot of emotions, and I think the pace really picked up there.
Overall, this book has been a fun read! I am convinced to read more of this genre and hopefully enjoy them as much as I did this one.
June 14, 2023
"Penny ha sempre avuto le idee chiare sul proprio matrimonio: una cerimonia da favola, un vestito da sogno e una festa indimenticabile. Ha previsto ogni cosa, fino all’ultimo dettaglio, e da anni mette da parte i suoi risparmi per non farsi mancare nulla nel giorno più importante. Ma quando finalmente arriva la proposta di Mark, il suo sogno si sgretola di fronte alla realtà del suo estratto conto: i risparmi di una vita non ci sono più!"
Dopo aver aspettato pazientemente la proposta del fidanzato, finalmente Penny è ufficialmente fidanzata e può pensare ad organizzare concretamente il matrimonio dei suoi sogni... c'è solo un "piccolo inconveniente" da affrontare: come organizzare la cerimonia che ha sempre sognato con un budget ridotto? Eh si, perchè Penny ha dilapidato una piccola fortuna giocando al bingo online con il desiderio di acquistare il vestito da sposa o le scarpe dei suoi sogni.
Messa di fronte alla dura realtà, non volendo deludere e raccontare la verità a Mark il suo futuro sposo, Penny cercherà di trovare soluzioni alternative; man mano che il tempo passa, anche grazie alle persone che incontra - sia al gruppo di supporto per il gioco che durante il volontariato al museo - si renderà conto che anche se non si hanno tanti soldi a disposizione si può lo stesso organizzare una cerimonia indimenticabile e che l'importante è il sentimento che unisce le persone.
La lettura è piacevole e divertente. Consigliato a chi ama il genere chick-lit. Sono curiosa di leggere altri romanzi della stessa autrice anche se purtroppo al momento non sono tradotti in italiano.
Dopo aver aspettato pazientemente la proposta del fidanzato, finalmente Penny è ufficialmente fidanzata e può pensare ad organizzare concretamente il matrimonio dei suoi sogni... c'è solo un "piccolo inconveniente" da affrontare: come organizzare la cerimonia che ha sempre sognato con un budget ridotto? Eh si, perchè Penny ha dilapidato una piccola fortuna giocando al bingo online con il desiderio di acquistare il vestito da sposa o le scarpe dei suoi sogni.
Messa di fronte alla dura realtà, non volendo deludere e raccontare la verità a Mark il suo futuro sposo, Penny cercherà di trovare soluzioni alternative; man mano che il tempo passa, anche grazie alle persone che incontra - sia al gruppo di supporto per il gioco che durante il volontariato al museo - si renderà conto che anche se non si hanno tanti soldi a disposizione si può lo stesso organizzare una cerimonia indimenticabile e che l'importante è il sentimento che unisce le persone.
La lettura è piacevole e divertente. Consigliato a chi ama il genere chick-lit. Sono curiosa di leggere altri romanzi della stessa autrice anche se purtroppo al momento non sono tradotti in italiano.
January 31, 2020
I got major Shopaholic vibes from this one and it was a sweet book for the most part.
I enjoyed the message that you don't need to spend a zillion dollars to have the perfect wedding, however, the fact that she was able to accomplish all that and only spend £5,434 total was a bit over the top and impossible.
So my gripe is towards the end, her fiance hears some upsetting news and finds some bank statements a week before the wedding. Instead of talking to her like an adult he just up and bails, not answering his phone, checking into a hotel under a different name, and not even showing up to their rehearsal. Then the day of the wedding Penny makes a speech about him not coming, he shows up in the knick of time, then proceeds to berate her on her behaviour and doesn't even apologize for being a complete git (I'm currently listening to Harry Potter at the moment too). It just infuriates me that Penny is the only one to apologize, I understand what she did was wrong but honestly, if my husband pulled that shit the week before our wedding I would have just said eff you and speak to me or don't bother coming to the wedding.
I enjoyed the message that you don't need to spend a zillion dollars to have the perfect wedding, however, the fact that she was able to accomplish all that and only spend £5,434 total was a bit over the top and impossible.
So my gripe is towards the end, her fiance hears some upsetting news and finds some bank statements a week before the wedding. Instead of talking to her like an adult he just up and bails, not answering his phone, checking into a hotel under a different name, and not even showing up to their rehearsal. Then the day of the wedding Penny makes a speech about him not coming, he shows up in the knick of time, then proceeds to berate her on her behaviour and doesn't even apologize for being a complete git (I'm currently listening to Harry Potter at the moment too). It just infuriates me that Penny is the only one to apologize, I understand what she did was wrong but honestly, if my husband pulled that shit the week before our wedding I would have just said eff you and speak to me or don't bother coming to the wedding.
October 1, 2024
Listened on audiable
An easy, lighthearted, quick listen to a story of humour, love friendships forged in the midst of addiction. All due to Penny beginning her journey, believing getting married means she has to do everything she ever dreamed of the "the princess wedding."
Penny spirals before she even realises the position she has put herself in things have got so out of control she doesn't know how to fix it but determined not to confess to her fiance of her shortcomings she is determined to find a way to create the perfect wedding on a much much smaller budget than they had originally saved. She embarks on a self realisation journey that getting married isn't actually about the shoes, venue or dress it isn't about all the fancy frills but simply about the commitment to the person she cannot live without the love of her life. Will she succeed, or will she loose him due to her betrayal & lies for months?
An easy, lighthearted, quick listen to a story of humour, love friendships forged in the midst of addiction. All due to Penny beginning her journey, believing getting married means she has to do everything she ever dreamed of the "the princess wedding."
Penny spirals before she even realises the position she has put herself in things have got so out of control she doesn't know how to fix it but determined not to confess to her fiance of her shortcomings she is determined to find a way to create the perfect wedding on a much much smaller budget than they had originally saved. She embarks on a self realisation journey that getting married isn't actually about the shoes, venue or dress it isn't about all the fancy frills but simply about the commitment to the person she cannot live without the love of her life. Will she succeed, or will she loose him due to her betrayal & lies for months?
November 22, 2022
An entertaining read from this author. Penny has been dreaming of her ideal wedding - she knows exactly the kind of dress and shoes she wants, the band the wedding favours everything, So when a pop up ad for a bingo site appears in her internet feed she thinks Jimmy Choo shoes and designer wedding dress. However she gets a shock when she checks her bank statement to discover that she has 10K less in it that she thought - it turns out she has a problem with online bingo. She can't tell Marh her fiance the truth - so she decides to have a don't tell the Groom themed wedding and throws herself into planning a wedding on a budget and well as attending gambling addiction support meetings, Will Penny be able to have her dream wedding on a budget and will Mark discover her addiction.
May 8, 2017
Een boek waarvoor ik s nachts weer mijn slaap liet. Dat kan 2 dingen betekenen; of ik wil het boek perse uithebben zodat ik aan een goed boek kan beginnen of het is gewoon een goed boek, waarvan ik wil weten hoe het verder gaat.
Dit boek valt onder de laatste categorie. Zeker geen hoogstaande lectuur, maar wel een vlot te lezen boek, waarin ook nog wel iets gebeurd (maar verwacht nu ook weer niet te veel spanning)
sympathieke personages, een beetje bridezila, maar net niet genoeg om ze niet meer leuk te vinden.
een bruid in spe, met de nodige fouten, maar ook de nodige goede wil
i like it
Dit boek valt onder de laatste categorie. Zeker geen hoogstaande lectuur, maar wel een vlot te lezen boek, waarin ook nog wel iets gebeurd (maar verwacht nu ook weer niet te veel spanning)
sympathieke personages, een beetje bridezila, maar net niet genoeg om ze niet meer leuk te vinden.
een bruid in spe, met de nodige fouten, maar ook de nodige goede wil
i like it
January 29, 2024
For me this book was almost like a duplicate of Confessions of a Shopoholic.
Pretty much the same storyline where the girl spent the money they've saved for the wedding BUT she has a gambling problem.
There is a small twist in it where the family meddled in the situation and the groom got the wrong information.
It was such an easy read, I finished it in one sitting.
That being said too similar of a language and storyline to the confessions books, bit of a let down.
Pretty much the same storyline where the girl spent the money they've saved for the wedding BUT she has a gambling problem.
There is a small twist in it where the family meddled in the situation and the groom got the wrong information.
It was such an easy read, I finished it in one sitting.
That being said too similar of a language and storyline to the confessions books, bit of a let down.
February 26, 2025
Een leuk verhaal dat makkelijk wegleest, maar ook wel een les heeft. Vooral dat eerlijkheid het belangrijkste van alles is.
De karakters in het boek waren leuk en om sommige stukjes in het boek heb ik ook hardop gelachen. Het was fijn om met Penny op reis te gaan in dit verhaal en de echte wereld even te kunnen vergeten.
Ik geef dit boek 3,5 ster en zou het boek ook aanraden. Vooral aan aanstaande bruiden.
De karakters in het boek waren leuk en om sommige stukjes in het boek heb ik ook hardop gelachen. Het was fijn om met Penny op reis te gaan in dit verhaal en de echte wereld even te kunnen vergeten.
Ik geef dit boek 3,5 ster en zou het boek ook aanraden. Vooral aan aanstaande bruiden.
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