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The Secret Bridesmaid
Matrimony meets mayhem in a modern British romcom about a young woman charged with pulling off the biggest aristocratic wedding of the year––and the misadventures that ensue.
Sophie Breeze is a brilliant bridesmaid. So brilliant, in fact, that she’s made it her full-time job.
As a professional bridesmaid, Sophie is hired by London brides to be their right-hand woman, posing as a friend but working behind the scenes to help plan the perfect wedding and ensure their big day goes off without a hitch. When she’s hired by Lady Victoria Swann––a former model and “It Girl" of 1970’s London; now the Marchioness of Meade––for the society wedding of the year, it should be a chance for Sophie to prove just how talented she is.
Of course, it’s not ideal that the bride, Lady Victoria’s daughter, Cordelia, is an absolute diva and determined to make Sophie’s life a nightmare. It’s also a bit inconvenient that Sophie finds herself drawn to Cordelia’s posh older brother, who is absolutely off limits. But when a rival society wedding is announced for the very same day, things start to get…well, complicated.
Can Sophie pull off the biggest challenge of her career––execute a high-profile gala for four hundred and fifty guests in record time, win over a reluctant bride, and catch the eye of handsome Lord Swann––all while keeping her true identity a secret, and her dignity intact?
Heartwarming and hilarious, The Secret Bridesmaid celebrates the joys (and foibles) of weddings, the nuances of female friendship, and the redeeming power of love in its many unexpected forms.
Sophie Breeze is a brilliant bridesmaid. So brilliant, in fact, that she’s made it her full-time job.
As a professional bridesmaid, Sophie is hired by London brides to be their right-hand woman, posing as a friend but working behind the scenes to help plan the perfect wedding and ensure their big day goes off without a hitch. When she’s hired by Lady Victoria Swann––a former model and “It Girl" of 1970’s London; now the Marchioness of Meade––for the society wedding of the year, it should be a chance for Sophie to prove just how talented she is.
Of course, it’s not ideal that the bride, Lady Victoria’s daughter, Cordelia, is an absolute diva and determined to make Sophie’s life a nightmare. It’s also a bit inconvenient that Sophie finds herself drawn to Cordelia’s posh older brother, who is absolutely off limits. But when a rival society wedding is announced for the very same day, things start to get…well, complicated.
Can Sophie pull off the biggest challenge of her career––execute a high-profile gala for four hundred and fifty guests in record time, win over a reluctant bride, and catch the eye of handsome Lord Swann––all while keeping her true identity a secret, and her dignity intact?
Heartwarming and hilarious, The Secret Bridesmaid celebrates the joys (and foibles) of weddings, the nuances of female friendship, and the redeeming power of love in its many unexpected forms.
376 pages, Paperback
First published May 4, 2021
403 people are currently reading
28314 people want to read
About the author
Katy Birchall
51 books718 followersKaty is the author of several young adult novels including The It Girl series, the Hotel Royale series and Morgan Charmley: Teen Witch. She is the co-author of the middle grade Lightning Girl series and Star Switch with Alesha Dixon, and the Find the Girl teen series with YouTube stars Lucy and Lydia Connell. Katy was proud to be the author of a retelling of Jane Austen's Emma for the Awesomely Austen series, a collection of Austen's novels retold for younger readers. She has also written a non-fiction book, How to be a Princess: Real-Life Fairy Tales for Modern Heroines.
Katy lives in London with her partner, Ben, and her rescue dog, Bono.
The Secret Bridesmaid is her adult fiction debut.
Katy lives in London with her partner, Ben, and her rescue dog, Bono.
The Secret Bridesmaid is her adult fiction debut.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,660 reviews
November 9, 2021
Well, this is quite entertaining, laugh loud chic lit meets women fiction with romance vibes!
It’s a brilliant introduction to the bridezillas’ world: when the wedding day imminently approaches and the brides are having panic attacks, firing wedding planners, cursing their loved ones, getting totally out of control, who they are gonna call?
Of course:Olivia Pope meets Ray Donovan kind of great wedding fixer/ contract bridesmaid named Sophie Breeze! She’s the solution of the entire wedding crisis! She listens to the brides patiently without commenting about their awkward wedding theme choices or weirdest requests they made: just like a genie in a bottle she does everything she can to make their dreamy day come true!
But unfortunately her magical abilities to make every woman’s special day fulfilled, doesn’t work for herself! She still suffers from heartbreak in her own life. Her love of her life she’s dated for 8 years found someone else shortly after he dumbed her and now this douchebag sends her his wedding invitation. So Sophie has to concentrate her career not to suffer more from heartbreak!
Thankfully she gets an offer she cannot refuse : 70’s it girl of London and today’s Marchioness of Meade - Lady Victoria’s daughter Cordelia is about to tie the knot and she has to prove she’s capable of organizing this one of challenging wedding ceremony of the century!
But Cordelia seems like she’s not happy with her mother’s decision to hire her and she can do anything to sabotage her works, telling Sophie is escort, a con artist to their close circle. But Sophie never runs away from challenges even though she’s met the most irritating bridezilla who is adamant to turn her life into hell with her nonstop emotional tantrums!
And bride’s very charismatic, sexy brother Tom is also flirting with her. She liked his attention but she is also aware this could jeopardize her identity and her job.
But it seems like Cordelia is not daughter of Lilith and Lucifer. As they spend so much time together and open up about their secrets, Sophie realizes they start to bond a real friendship so she doesn’t need to pretend they’re friends but a big secret emerges about the the past, things get more complicated which will test the loyalty of true friendships!
Overall: this book reminded me of Kevin Hart’s Wedding Ringer: at that movie: Hart has a company to offer services for groom who needs best man. So this book is quite better and more sentimental version of the idea. Some parts are brilliantly funny and I love to read blooming friendship of Cordelia and Sophie and I love the brilliant ways how Sophie uses to solve bride’s problems!
I’m giving four elite, wedding ceremony, entertaining, unputdownable stars!
I’m so happy this book put the author on my radar! I’m looking forward to read more works of her.
Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/ St. Martin’s Griffin for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
It’s a brilliant introduction to the bridezillas’ world: when the wedding day imminently approaches and the brides are having panic attacks, firing wedding planners, cursing their loved ones, getting totally out of control, who they are gonna call?
Of course:Olivia Pope meets Ray Donovan kind of great wedding fixer/ contract bridesmaid named Sophie Breeze! She’s the solution of the entire wedding crisis! She listens to the brides patiently without commenting about their awkward wedding theme choices or weirdest requests they made: just like a genie in a bottle she does everything she can to make their dreamy day come true!
But unfortunately her magical abilities to make every woman’s special day fulfilled, doesn’t work for herself! She still suffers from heartbreak in her own life. Her love of her life she’s dated for 8 years found someone else shortly after he dumbed her and now this douchebag sends her his wedding invitation. So Sophie has to concentrate her career not to suffer more from heartbreak!
Thankfully she gets an offer she cannot refuse : 70’s it girl of London and today’s Marchioness of Meade - Lady Victoria’s daughter Cordelia is about to tie the knot and she has to prove she’s capable of organizing this one of challenging wedding ceremony of the century!
But Cordelia seems like she’s not happy with her mother’s decision to hire her and she can do anything to sabotage her works, telling Sophie is escort, a con artist to their close circle. But Sophie never runs away from challenges even though she’s met the most irritating bridezilla who is adamant to turn her life into hell with her nonstop emotional tantrums!
And bride’s very charismatic, sexy brother Tom is also flirting with her. She liked his attention but she is also aware this could jeopardize her identity and her job.
But it seems like Cordelia is not daughter of Lilith and Lucifer. As they spend so much time together and open up about their secrets, Sophie realizes they start to bond a real friendship so she doesn’t need to pretend they’re friends but a big secret emerges about the the past, things get more complicated which will test the loyalty of true friendships!
Overall: this book reminded me of Kevin Hart’s Wedding Ringer: at that movie: Hart has a company to offer services for groom who needs best man. So this book is quite better and more sentimental version of the idea. Some parts are brilliantly funny and I love to read blooming friendship of Cordelia and Sophie and I love the brilliant ways how Sophie uses to solve bride’s problems!
I’m giving four elite, wedding ceremony, entertaining, unputdownable stars!
I’m so happy this book put the author on my radar! I’m looking forward to read more works of her.
Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/ St. Martin’s Griffin for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
November 1, 2021
Dear friends, now I present you: My favourite book of 2021!!! (Imagine me happy screaming here.)
The Secret Bridesmaid was a buddy read with my friend Amanda. We both wanted to read something light and funny this time, and this hilariously entertaining novel was a perfect choice.
I think neither of us imagined we would love it so much.
The writing was up my league. So easy to follow, humorous and just purely enjoyable.
I hope Katy Birchall will continue to write adult fiction because she nailed it!
The book is written in first person, following Sophie's POV, and it also contains emails and messages between clients of Sophie, customers service etcetera. Those bonus pages reminded me of Sophie Kinsella's early work, and I welcomed it wholeheartedly.
The characters were impressive and the fact that even 7 days after finishing the book I still remember all of their names, including that douchebag Daniel, says a lot, as I often don't recall the names even while I'm still reading stories.
Cordelia was my absolutely favourite. I loved how upfront she was and I feel like her and me would be great friends, if we came from the same society (plus if she was, you know, NOT FICTIONAL). We have lots in common.
Sophie was great narrator and so devoted to her job, clients and people around her.
But most of all, she was funny and the one with good intentions, always.
And Tom... Can I just say he was swoon worthy and be done with it?
Ok, ok, I will also say that I don't remember the last time I liked love interest sooooo much.
In the end, I will say once more that this is the best book that I have read this year and I hope it will be enough to convince you to read it too.
The Secret Bridesmaid was a buddy read with my friend Amanda. We both wanted to read something light and funny this time, and this hilariously entertaining novel was a perfect choice.
I think neither of us imagined we would love it so much.
The writing was up my league. So easy to follow, humorous and just purely enjoyable.
I hope Katy Birchall will continue to write adult fiction because she nailed it!
The book is written in first person, following Sophie's POV, and it also contains emails and messages between clients of Sophie, customers service etcetera. Those bonus pages reminded me of Sophie Kinsella's early work, and I welcomed it wholeheartedly.
The characters were impressive and the fact that even 7 days after finishing the book I still remember all of their names, including that douchebag Daniel, says a lot, as I often don't recall the names even while I'm still reading stories.
Cordelia was my absolutely favourite. I loved how upfront she was and I feel like her and me would be great friends, if we came from the same society (plus if she was, you know, NOT FICTIONAL). We have lots in common.
Sophie was great narrator and so devoted to her job, clients and people around her.
But most of all, she was funny and the one with good intentions, always.
And Tom... Can I just say he was swoon worthy and be done with it?
Ok, ok, I will also say that I don't remember the last time I liked love interest sooooo much.
In the end, I will say once more that this is the best book that I have read this year and I hope it will be enough to convince you to read it too.
February 5, 2022
4.5⭐️
A professional bridesmaid? You can’t convince me it’s not one of the coolest shit ever, and it’s actually a thing!! Man, there’s really something out there for everyone. If this college thing doesn’t work out, I’m glad to know there are thousands of options like these.
This book was so fun, and I was really excited to jump in from the start. My attention span is not great so sometimes I zone out when I’m reading. I stopped feeling guilty a long time ago for giving a book a low rating since I was zoned out for most of it, because maybe if the book wasn’t that boring it would have had my attention throughout. This book didn’t have that problem. It was interesting and had some parts that were so funny. This is one of those books I would love to watch as a movie. I could just see it as a cute British comedy available on Netflix or something.
Sophie is a gooooood human, and the job was perfect for her. She really put her heart and soul into every wedding, and my girl even did cultural weddings! What?! She was so good that some of the brides still kept in contact with her. She always made the bride feel really special, even when it seemed like they had a huge stick up their *beeeep* Seriously, what do you do when the bride you’re supposed to help hates you? Lady Cordelia was determined to put her through hell, going so far as telling people she’s an escort….I know, but Sophie was not going to back out that easily. If I had Sophie's determination, I think I’ll be okay for the rest of my life. I had to keep cheering for her and letting her know that she’s still going to get paid, at least that’s how I go through most labor in my life. Was Sophie’s determination enough to get her to the wedding?
There’s more to Lady Cordelia though and we learn so much more about her throughout the book. I mean someone is willing to marry her so she can’t be that bad. How does Sophie and Cordelia’s relationship develop throughout the story?
Sophie had also come out of a relationship. An 8-year relationship, and let me tell you, that guy did not deserve Sophie at all. She also has a wonderful family and really good friends. I loved seeing her dynamic with the different kinds of people in her life.
Another big thing in this book is how Sophie doesn’t “live.” I don’t know why this is always a big deal with people. There’s nothing really wrong with living a pretty chill and laid-back life. I personally thought that Sophie was definitely not living an average life, and I hated that some characters in the book still made her feel lame. How is Sophie going to deal with this?
There was barely any romance in the book, but the romance was still cute AF.
A professional bridesmaid? You can’t convince me it’s not one of the coolest shit ever, and it’s actually a thing!! Man, there’s really something out there for everyone. If this college thing doesn’t work out, I’m glad to know there are thousands of options like these.
This book was so fun, and I was really excited to jump in from the start. My attention span is not great so sometimes I zone out when I’m reading. I stopped feeling guilty a long time ago for giving a book a low rating since I was zoned out for most of it, because maybe if the book wasn’t that boring it would have had my attention throughout. This book didn’t have that problem. It was interesting and had some parts that were so funny. This is one of those books I would love to watch as a movie. I could just see it as a cute British comedy available on Netflix or something.
Sophie is a gooooood human, and the job was perfect for her. She really put her heart and soul into every wedding, and my girl even did cultural weddings! What?! She was so good that some of the brides still kept in contact with her. She always made the bride feel really special, even when it seemed like they had a huge stick up their *beeeep* Seriously, what do you do when the bride you’re supposed to help hates you? Lady Cordelia was determined to put her through hell, going so far as telling people she’s an escort….I know, but Sophie was not going to back out that easily. If I had Sophie's determination, I think I’ll be okay for the rest of my life. I had to keep cheering for her and letting her know that she’s still going to get paid, at least that’s how I go through most labor in my life. Was Sophie’s determination enough to get her to the wedding?
There’s more to Lady Cordelia though and we learn so much more about her throughout the book. I mean someone is willing to marry her so she can’t be that bad. How does Sophie and Cordelia’s relationship develop throughout the story?
Sophie had also come out of a relationship. An 8-year relationship, and let me tell you, that guy did not deserve Sophie at all. She also has a wonderful family and really good friends. I loved seeing her dynamic with the different kinds of people in her life.
Another big thing in this book is how Sophie doesn’t “live.” I don’t know why this is always a big deal with people. There’s nothing really wrong with living a pretty chill and laid-back life. I personally thought that Sophie was definitely not living an average life, and I hated that some characters in the book still made her feel lame. How is Sophie going to deal with this?
There was barely any romance in the book, but the romance was still cute AF.
May 16, 2021
Every bride needs a bridesmaid to help them navigate the most important day of their lives.
But what if you need a little more help than what your friends or family can do? What if you really need professional assistance? But don’t want to give up control of your wedding.
Enter Sophie Breeze, a professional bridesmaid. Under the disguise of a friend or long lost relative she will play the role of a bridesmaid while coordinating everything behind the scenes to make sure the wedding flows seamlessly.
Sophie loves her job and all her brides and their (sometimes ridiculous) requests. But when she is hired for a high society wedding she may have finally met her match.
This was a fun light rom com that had me chuckling at what Sophie had to endure to make sure her weddings go off without a hitch.
I listened to the audio version and the narrator did an amazing job with the characters. I flew through this audio quickly over a (rom com) weekend! Hope you enjoy this one too!
Posted to: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend...
But what if you need a little more help than what your friends or family can do? What if you really need professional assistance? But don’t want to give up control of your wedding.
Enter Sophie Breeze, a professional bridesmaid. Under the disguise of a friend or long lost relative she will play the role of a bridesmaid while coordinating everything behind the scenes to make sure the wedding flows seamlessly.
Sophie loves her job and all her brides and their (sometimes ridiculous) requests. But when she is hired for a high society wedding she may have finally met her match.
This was a fun light rom com that had me chuckling at what Sophie had to endure to make sure her weddings go off without a hitch.
I listened to the audio version and the narrator did an amazing job with the characters. I flew through this audio quickly over a (rom com) weekend! Hope you enjoy this one too!
Posted to: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend...
April 7, 2021
Based on the pretty book cover and after reading the publisher synopsis, I had a hunch this book would be a fun and light read. And guess what? I was correct. It was exactly the type of book I needed to help pick me up out of the doldrums.
Sophie Breeze is a professional bridesmaid for hire. She's not exactly a wedding planner but she does provide much needed assistance to the bride as she plans her special day. As it would be embarrassing if people found out you paid someone to be in your bridal party, the bride and Sophie keep that secret amongst themselves and instead pretend they have been friends for years.
Sophie has been hired by Lady Victoria Swann for the society wedding of the year. Lady Victoria's daughter, Cordelia, is getting married and the nuptials are guaranteed to get a lot of press. Cordelia however, is dead set against hiring Sophie and sets out to make her job as miserable as possible so she will quit. Is Sophie up for a challenge? Also, is the saying "always a bridesmaid, never a bride" true?
I think the book is best classified as chick lit as it is full of humor and there's some romance. The page count is not quite 400 pages and perhaps a few things here and there could have been trimmed down but for the most part is was a quick read. Sophie is one of those great at just about everything type characters but she didn't come across as annoying. She's a likeable character and you root for her to successfully pull off Cordelia's wedding. As for Sophie's love life, I enjoyed watching that develop as well.
I'll admit I had a big, cheesy grin on my face when I finished this book. Always nice to end a book on a positive note. If you are a fan of books written by Sophie Kinsella, you should check this one out.
I won a free advance copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway. All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion.
Sophie Breeze is a professional bridesmaid for hire. She's not exactly a wedding planner but she does provide much needed assistance to the bride as she plans her special day. As it would be embarrassing if people found out you paid someone to be in your bridal party, the bride and Sophie keep that secret amongst themselves and instead pretend they have been friends for years.
Sophie has been hired by Lady Victoria Swann for the society wedding of the year. Lady Victoria's daughter, Cordelia, is getting married and the nuptials are guaranteed to get a lot of press. Cordelia however, is dead set against hiring Sophie and sets out to make her job as miserable as possible so she will quit. Is Sophie up for a challenge? Also, is the saying "always a bridesmaid, never a bride" true?
I think the book is best classified as chick lit as it is full of humor and there's some romance. The page count is not quite 400 pages and perhaps a few things here and there could have been trimmed down but for the most part is was a quick read. Sophie is one of those great at just about everything type characters but she didn't come across as annoying. She's a likeable character and you root for her to successfully pull off Cordelia's wedding. As for Sophie's love life, I enjoyed watching that develop as well.
I'll admit I had a big, cheesy grin on my face when I finished this book. Always nice to end a book on a positive note. If you are a fan of books written by Sophie Kinsella, you should check this one out.
I won a free advance copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway. All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion.
August 14, 2021
Such a fun story! Sophie is clever, loyal, and a lifesaver to many. She's a professional bridesmaid who will do anything for the brides, and often ends up in awkward situations. The myriad of people she interacts with on a daily basis and the wedding duties she's assigned keep her life hectic and chaotic. Add to that her family, an ex-boyfriend, and a new love interest! Needless to say, Sophie's life is one adventure (or misadventure) after another.
This is the author's first adult novel. It's a funny, witty, and entertaining story about love and friendship. I can't wait for her next book 😃.
This is the author's first adult novel. It's a funny, witty, and entertaining story about love and friendship. I can't wait for her next book 😃.
April 17, 2021
"As a professional bridesmaid, I'm merely there to aid the bride in producing her vision for the day and be a helping hand to her. I'm not there to take control, but rather help the bride feel in control."
This is a story that I didn't know I needed in my life; but once I read it, it made everything feel better.
REVIEW
This story is pitched as a romcom but I would classify it as more of a chic-lit. That being said, I never read chic-lit and clearly that is a mistake. I need more books like this in my life. Books that focus on the growth of our female protagonist, that focus on female friendships being made, that have the romance as a minor subplot. I read this in two sittings over two nights and miss it already.
Sophie Breeze was fabulous. She has a lot going on in her life and is constantly stressed out by everything she has to do, but she always makes time for the people closest to her (I connected with this a lot). Then she gets a wedding invite to her ex's wedding and everything falls apart. Because her ex is still part of her friend group, she has to see him from time to time. Every scene he was in I just wanted to slap him. He is SO ignorant of Sophie's feelings and she always feel belittled by him. There is a lot of growth for Sophie as she learns to step out of her comfort zone and embrace spontaneity. She doesn't want to be the "boring ex-girlfriend" anymore and she slowly comes out of her shell thanks to the ridiculous tasks Cordelia gives her.
I adored the friendship between Cordelia and Sophie. At first I wasn't sure if I would connect with Cordelia, if I would come to understand and appreciate her. She was so hell bent on making Sophie's life miserable and being catty that I was afraid there would be no depth to her other than being a spoiled society lady. Thankfully, that was a wrong assumption. Cordelia is a woman who has been betrayed heavily by people she thought she could trust, as a result she has become very closed off and acts like an Ice Queen to anyone who tries to get near. It takes a while for Sophie to thaw her exterior, but watching them slowly become friends was better than any romance. I grew to love Cordelia and I just wanted to protect her-much like Sophie did. Also, Cordelia and her fiancé were SO adorable.
The other female friendship is between Sophie and her cousin/bff, Cara. Their relationship reminds me a lot of the friendship I have with my own cousin. We spent so much time together growing up that we were fiercely loyal to one another no matter what, but also knew when to tell the other that they needed to get their stuff together. Their scenes were so pure and made me smile.
The romance between Sophie and Tom was really sweet. I laughed at a lot of their interactions and how dorky Sophie acted around him. It could have been a little more fleshed out, but because it wasn't the main focus of the plot I don't really mind that. Here is a quote about Tom:
"He's handsome, rich, and part of the British aristocracy. Essentially, he's a modern Mr. Darcy. Without the grumpy, brooding persona."
I really adored seeing the other weddings and bride disasters while Sophie was dealing with Cordelia's wedding. There were so many hilarious situations. There is a bride who was having a Star Wars themed wedding and asked if Sophie would be comfortable dressing as Chewbacca, it was hilarious. There is another bride who asks Sophie is she can dye her hair to match the other bridesmaids! I had so many laughs reading this.
I loved the mixed media format of text chains and emails between chapters. They either featured interactions between Sophie and her clients or her suppliers. They were hilarious, cringey, and frustrating (in a good way). As someone who has worked in customer service, I applaud Sophie for maintaining a calm disposition when dealing with people who cannot understand simple directions. One of the email chains is between Sophie and a vintage suitcase company who apparently doesn't sell actually vintage suitcases but suitcases made to look vintage even though they end every email with "WE CARE ABOUT VINTAGE! THE ONLY RETAILER THAT REALLY CARES ABOUT VINTAGE" *holds face in hands*
Lastly... Gods, I hated Annabel. What an awful person. I won't say anything else about this but I will mention that I have never gotten along with anyone named Annabel in my entire life and this is why.
Overall, I cannot wait for Birchall's next adult novel. I wish I had more to devour but alas, I shall have to wait. Please pick this up if you can!
*review copy received from the publisher, but all thoughts and opinions are my own*
TW: mention of drug overdose
This is a story that I didn't know I needed in my life; but once I read it, it made everything feel better.
REVIEW
This story is pitched as a romcom but I would classify it as more of a chic-lit. That being said, I never read chic-lit and clearly that is a mistake. I need more books like this in my life. Books that focus on the growth of our female protagonist, that focus on female friendships being made, that have the romance as a minor subplot. I read this in two sittings over two nights and miss it already.
Sophie Breeze was fabulous. She has a lot going on in her life and is constantly stressed out by everything she has to do, but she always makes time for the people closest to her (I connected with this a lot). Then she gets a wedding invite to her ex's wedding and everything falls apart. Because her ex is still part of her friend group, she has to see him from time to time. Every scene he was in I just wanted to slap him. He is SO ignorant of Sophie's feelings and she always feel belittled by him. There is a lot of growth for Sophie as she learns to step out of her comfort zone and embrace spontaneity. She doesn't want to be the "boring ex-girlfriend" anymore and she slowly comes out of her shell thanks to the ridiculous tasks Cordelia gives her.
I adored the friendship between Cordelia and Sophie. At first I wasn't sure if I would connect with Cordelia, if I would come to understand and appreciate her. She was so hell bent on making Sophie's life miserable and being catty that I was afraid there would be no depth to her other than being a spoiled society lady. Thankfully, that was a wrong assumption. Cordelia is a woman who has been betrayed heavily by people she thought she could trust, as a result she has become very closed off and acts like an Ice Queen to anyone who tries to get near. It takes a while for Sophie to thaw her exterior, but watching them slowly become friends was better than any romance. I grew to love Cordelia and I just wanted to protect her-much like Sophie did. Also, Cordelia and her fiancé were SO adorable.
The other female friendship is between Sophie and her cousin/bff, Cara. Their relationship reminds me a lot of the friendship I have with my own cousin. We spent so much time together growing up that we were fiercely loyal to one another no matter what, but also knew when to tell the other that they needed to get their stuff together. Their scenes were so pure and made me smile.
The romance between Sophie and Tom was really sweet. I laughed at a lot of their interactions and how dorky Sophie acted around him. It could have been a little more fleshed out, but because it wasn't the main focus of the plot I don't really mind that. Here is a quote about Tom:
"He's handsome, rich, and part of the British aristocracy. Essentially, he's a modern Mr. Darcy. Without the grumpy, brooding persona."
I really adored seeing the other weddings and bride disasters while Sophie was dealing with Cordelia's wedding. There were so many hilarious situations. There is a bride who was having a Star Wars themed wedding and asked if Sophie would be comfortable dressing as Chewbacca, it was hilarious. There is another bride who asks Sophie is she can dye her hair to match the other bridesmaids! I had so many laughs reading this.
I loved the mixed media format of text chains and emails between chapters. They either featured interactions between Sophie and her clients or her suppliers. They were hilarious, cringey, and frustrating (in a good way). As someone who has worked in customer service, I applaud Sophie for maintaining a calm disposition when dealing with people who cannot understand simple directions. One of the email chains is between Sophie and a vintage suitcase company who apparently doesn't sell actually vintage suitcases but suitcases made to look vintage even though they end every email with "WE CARE ABOUT VINTAGE! THE ONLY RETAILER THAT REALLY CARES ABOUT VINTAGE" *holds face in hands*
Lastly... Gods, I hated Annabel. What an awful person. I won't say anything else about this but I will mention that I have never gotten along with anyone named Annabel in my entire life and this is why.
Overall, I cannot wait for Birchall's next adult novel. I wish I had more to devour but alas, I shall have to wait. Please pick this up if you can!
*review copy received from the publisher, but all thoughts and opinions are my own*
TW: mention of drug overdose
July 24, 2022
Sophie is a professional bridesmaid. What is it? She pretends to be the bride's friend and helps her with the wedding preparations to make the day perfect. For Sophie the absolute dream job, until she is booked by a woman who comes from very high circles. The young bride is Lady Cordelia Swan, who makes her job hell. Slowly a friendship develops between the two and Lord Tom, Cordelia's brother, makes Sophie's heart race. But this little secret she hides behind and the bartender shake everything up.
The book had me from the first page. It's hilarious in parts and you root for Sophie until the last page.
The book had me from the first page. It's hilarious in parts and you root for Sophie until the last page.
May 18, 2023
I picked this one up on a whim - new to me author; interesting premise; possible diamond in the rough....
Um. Nope. This one didn't work for this reader and I HATE THE BAIT AND SWITCHEROO in the genre classification of this story at NG. This is NOT a romance novel. It has romantic elements (very very very very few poor reader (and PS, they're poorly done)); it's more a story of two completely opposite women becoming friends.
I only sort of liked our principal character Sophie - a wedding planner masquerading as a bridesmaid in order to keep her identity and mission a secret. OOH! THE INTRIGUE. THE THRILLS. So, like, um, who cares if you call yourself a planner or a bridesmaid and why are people keeping the use of one or the other a secret? Planning a wedding is a total headache. If you can afford a wedding planner, why wouldn't you use one? READER. STOP JUDGING PEOPLE WHO HIRE WEDDING PLANNERS. THEY AREN'T WEAK. THEY HAVE FEELINGS, TOO. STOP BEING WEDDING PLANNER JUDGING DICKS. FFS. That isn't actually a thing? Who are these people? Sophie is coming after you. Not. This novel is a super weird take on the wedding industry.
Then there's Cordelia, the client/bride/kinda a bitch frenemy Sophie is hired to help. She's mean. She's rude. SHE'S MISUNDERSTOOD. Spare me. She wasn't nice to Sophie - a stranger who bends over backwards to help her at the behest of Cordelia's mom. Cordelia has trust issues. I feel you girl. It's been a rough road. But you are straight up not nice and I didn't like you treating doormat Sophie like that. Meanwhile, your fiance is an absolute dreamboat who for some reason looks the other way when he knows you're being an ass because it's a protective measure. Yep, didn't get this combo platter of personalities either.
And then there's an oddly shoehorned instalust romance with a person we never spend any time with and remains an ENIGMA. Again, the intrigue. LOL. And an ex who's your stereotypical a-hole and jumped from your eight year romance into an engagement in a hot minute. Nice.
I didn't really like this as much as I thought I did.
Characters are odd; relationships are vague; story should be called "The Doormat Who Convinced a Kinda Nasty and Not Nice Person to be their Bestie and HEALED THE WORLD WITH KINDNESS and Fell for a Playboy Who Probably Fell in Love, Too."
Go for it reader.
Um. Nope. This one didn't work for this reader and I HATE THE BAIT AND SWITCHEROO in the genre classification of this story at NG. This is NOT a romance novel. It has romantic elements (very very very very few poor reader (and PS, they're poorly done)); it's more a story of two completely opposite women becoming friends.
I only sort of liked our principal character Sophie - a wedding planner masquerading as a bridesmaid in order to keep her identity and mission a secret. OOH! THE INTRIGUE. THE THRILLS. So, like, um, who cares if you call yourself a planner or a bridesmaid and why are people keeping the use of one or the other a secret? Planning a wedding is a total headache. If you can afford a wedding planner, why wouldn't you use one? READER. STOP JUDGING PEOPLE WHO HIRE WEDDING PLANNERS. THEY AREN'T WEAK. THEY HAVE FEELINGS, TOO. STOP BEING WEDDING PLANNER JUDGING DICKS. FFS. That isn't actually a thing? Who are these people? Sophie is coming after you. Not. This novel is a super weird take on the wedding industry.
Then there's Cordelia, the client/bride/kinda a bitch frenemy Sophie is hired to help. She's mean. She's rude. SHE'S MISUNDERSTOOD. Spare me. She wasn't nice to Sophie - a stranger who bends over backwards to help her at the behest of Cordelia's mom. Cordelia has trust issues. I feel you girl. It's been a rough road. But you are straight up not nice and I didn't like you treating doormat Sophie like that. Meanwhile, your fiance is an absolute dreamboat who for some reason looks the other way when he knows you're being an ass because it's a protective measure. Yep, didn't get this combo platter of personalities either.
And then there's an oddly shoehorned instalust romance with a person we never spend any time with and remains an ENIGMA. Again, the intrigue. LOL. And an ex who's your stereotypical a-hole and jumped from your eight year romance into an engagement in a hot minute. Nice.
I didn't really like this as much as I thought I did.
Characters are odd; relationships are vague; story should be called "The Doormat Who Convinced a Kinda Nasty and Not Nice Person to be their Bestie and HEALED THE WORLD WITH KINDNESS and Fell for a Playboy Who Probably Fell in Love, Too."
Go for it reader.
April 20, 2024
So much fun!!! 3.5 ⭐️
Loved the audiobook narration.
This felt more women’s fiction than romance and I really enjoyed how the story developed. Totally recommend for anyone needing an enjoyable listen or a book to get you out of your reading slump.
Loved the audiobook narration.
This felt more women’s fiction than romance and I really enjoyed how the story developed. Totally recommend for anyone needing an enjoyable listen or a book to get you out of your reading slump.
February 17, 2021
Sophie is a wedding expert whose job is to become part of the bridal party and do whatever the family needs, from small errands to full-blown wedding planning. Her most important task is to manage crises that occur during or before the wedding, such as a drunk groom or missing “luxury” port-a-potties. When she is hired to become a bridesmaid for the difficult daughter of a Marchioness, Sophie encounters her biggest challenge yet, and possibly a romance.
“Sophie is a professional bridesmaid.” Just that much of the description of this hilarious British romcom had me hooked, and I had to know more. This is such a fun book. The idea of a professional bridesmaid is intriguing, and the author will have you chuckling with some of the crazy email exchanges Sophie has with clients. We learn a little bit about British nobility, but this is mostly a book about friendship, with a nice little romance to boot. This book takes us from humor to heartbreak and back again, with a lot of wedding hijinks thrown in. You will laugh aloud, and maybe even shed a tear, while reading this delightful book. Fans of romantic comedies, friendship reads, and weddings will enjoy this book.
The Secret Bridesmaid will be released on May 4, 2021.
I received a free copy of this book from St. Martin’s Press via Netgalley. My review is voluntary.
“Sophie is a professional bridesmaid.” Just that much of the description of this hilarious British romcom had me hooked, and I had to know more. This is such a fun book. The idea of a professional bridesmaid is intriguing, and the author will have you chuckling with some of the crazy email exchanges Sophie has with clients. We learn a little bit about British nobility, but this is mostly a book about friendship, with a nice little romance to boot. This book takes us from humor to heartbreak and back again, with a lot of wedding hijinks thrown in. You will laugh aloud, and maybe even shed a tear, while reading this delightful book. Fans of romantic comedies, friendship reads, and weddings will enjoy this book.
The Secret Bridesmaid will be released on May 4, 2021.
I received a free copy of this book from St. Martin’s Press via Netgalley. My review is voluntary.
February 13, 2021
Ah, I loved it.
Sophie is a bridesmaid for hire, like a wedding planner, but more about not letting the bride lose her mind and making sure everything goes smoothly. Everything is going great until she's hired by Lady Victoria for her daughter Cordelia's wedding. Cordelia is basically a toddler in a grown woman body, and is determined to make things difficult. It only get's worse when Sophie finds herself falling for the brides older brother.
I enjoyed this so much, such a great light read. It reminds me a lot of one of my favorite books, so I have a feeling I'll be rereading this one the same way.
While there is a slight romance, the true love story in this book is the beautiful friendship that develops between Sophie and Cordelia. True friends are so hard to find, but so important.
There are a couple things that kind took me out of the story, the random emails or text conversations about other weddings that were inserted. They didn't seem to relate to the story in anyway, like they were just stuck in there to say "yes this is my job I'm doing many weddings". They were jarring and interrupted the flow of the story, no matter how humorous some of them were.
*Thank you to the publisher for this eARC.
Sophie is a bridesmaid for hire, like a wedding planner, but more about not letting the bride lose her mind and making sure everything goes smoothly. Everything is going great until she's hired by Lady Victoria for her daughter Cordelia's wedding. Cordelia is basically a toddler in a grown woman body, and is determined to make things difficult. It only get's worse when Sophie finds herself falling for the brides older brother.
I enjoyed this so much, such a great light read. It reminds me a lot of one of my favorite books, so I have a feeling I'll be rereading this one the same way.
While there is a slight romance, the true love story in this book is the beautiful friendship that develops between Sophie and Cordelia. True friends are so hard to find, but so important.
There are a couple things that kind took me out of the story, the random emails or text conversations about other weddings that were inserted. They didn't seem to relate to the story in anyway, like they were just stuck in there to say "yes this is my job I'm doing many weddings". They were jarring and interrupted the flow of the story, no matter how humorous some of them were.
*Thank you to the publisher for this eARC.
April 26, 2021
Sophie Breeze is the quintessential bridesmaid. She is discreet and has wedding planning super powers. Hire her, invent a back story of your friendship, and you will have a stress-free wedding day. It is a brilliant concept, and Sophie is a pro. Then Lady Cordelia Swann (or rather her mother) decides to hire Sophie. The Swann family moves in exalted circles, so Sophie is thrilled. She just has to convince Cordelia. . . I loved this book so much. The cover is fantastic. Sophie is such a likable protagonist. There are humorous inserts related to some of the other weddings that Sophie is working on. Lots of fun wedding details. Some might think this is a rehash of the movie '27 Dresses,' but in my opinion it is so much better. Much of that is due to the fact that the story arc is focused on Cordelia and Sophie growing as friends rather than Sophie's love life. This would make a perfect vacation read!
Thank you to St. Martins and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to St. Martins and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
May 16, 2021
This was the most charming story!
Our protagonist Sophie is a very lovable and eager to please professional bridesmaid. She often finds herself jumping through tons of hoops for various jobs.
But when she meets a new client, soon to be bride Cordelia, she finds herself challenged in ways she couldn’t anticipate and her world shifts significantly.
There should be more books focused on female friendship. This was so sweet and funny, and it’s very easy to root for these ladies as they try to grow and find happiness. And the secondary characters were lovely too!
The romance and glamour of the weddings makes for a fun boost and setting. I did also like the bits with the extreme requests from the bridal parties, Chewbacca especially cracked me up.
Anyway, if you want something light but still want some feels, I’d recommend this book.
Our protagonist Sophie is a very lovable and eager to please professional bridesmaid. She often finds herself jumping through tons of hoops for various jobs.
But when she meets a new client, soon to be bride Cordelia, she finds herself challenged in ways she couldn’t anticipate and her world shifts significantly.
There should be more books focused on female friendship. This was so sweet and funny, and it’s very easy to root for these ladies as they try to grow and find happiness. And the secondary characters were lovely too!
The romance and glamour of the weddings makes for a fun boost and setting. I did also like the bits with the extreme requests from the bridal parties, Chewbacca especially cracked me up.
Anyway, if you want something light but still want some feels, I’d recommend this book.
October 13, 2024
I took me far too long to read this book of no fault but my own. And when it comes to chic lit the rule is to read it fast and move on. Having this book linger for week in my life made me feel very unenthusiastic about it. I also believe my love for "girl boss or future girl boss white women going through life change." fiction might be coming to an end.
May 8, 2021
Words cannot express how much I LOVED and ADORED this book.
I was smiling throughout the book and was laughing from the very beginning. I laughed out loud on page 2. The laughter continued the whole book.
The shenanigans Sophie gets into with the brides were simply the best. 😂. The bachelorette parties, the emails, the requests were just fantastic. I also must mention the swan incident in the lake. I could not stop laughing!
I loved the friendship between Cordelia and Sophie. The character growth was just fantastic.
I loved Tom and Sophie! I was definitely rooting for them. Their moments together were just so magical and just so sweet.
The ending was just perfect. I loved every single thing about it. One of all time favorite endings. This book is now one of my all time favorite books ever and my number 1 for the year so far!
I was smiling throughout the book and was laughing from the very beginning. I laughed out loud on page 2. The laughter continued the whole book.
The shenanigans Sophie gets into with the brides were simply the best. 😂. The bachelorette parties, the emails, the requests were just fantastic. I also must mention the swan incident in the lake. I could not stop laughing!
I loved the friendship between Cordelia and Sophie. The character growth was just fantastic.
I loved Tom and Sophie! I was definitely rooting for them. Their moments together were just so magical and just so sweet.
The ending was just perfect. I loved every single thing about it. One of all time favorite endings. This book is now one of my all time favorite books ever and my number 1 for the year so far!
May 31, 2021
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very simple and cute.
and, you know what? older brothers in books have a whole another vibe.
the Secret Bridesmaid was my first book by Katy Birchall, and i have to say that i was impressed with the way this book held my attention despite not just being a heavily romance book. though there is some romance in this book for sure, but it actually focuses much more on the lead female character, Sophie as well as the different friendships around her. i loved how quirky and solid Sophie was as a female character. the parts of her alone in this book were very quite entertaining themselves. even though i didn't mind the plot not being too focused on romance, i do wish there was more romance because i had planned out so many moments between Sophie and Thomas in my head and they were cute together and i just wanted more of them. because of that this book turned out to be not a hit for me, but also not a total miss either. i just wished the romance was more prominent however, seeing the focus on female friendships instead was also quite refreshing.
ARC provided via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
very simple and cute.
and, you know what? older brothers in books have a whole another vibe.
the Secret Bridesmaid was my first book by Katy Birchall, and i have to say that i was impressed with the way this book held my attention despite not just being a heavily romance book. though there is some romance in this book for sure, but it actually focuses much more on the lead female character, Sophie as well as the different friendships around her. i loved how quirky and solid Sophie was as a female character. the parts of her alone in this book were very quite entertaining themselves. even though i didn't mind the plot not being too focused on romance, i do wish there was more romance because i had planned out so many moments between Sophie and Thomas in my head and they were cute together and i just wanted more of them. because of that this book turned out to be not a hit for me, but also not a total miss either. i just wished the romance was more prominent however, seeing the focus on female friendships instead was also quite refreshing.
ARC provided via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
May 18, 2023
It's no secret:
"The Secret Bridesmaid" had a very compelling premise.
Sophie, the book's deeply flawed protagonist, is a "professional bridesmaid" hired by "friendless" brides to make sure that their images and weddings are flawless.
When hired by an affluent and self-absorbed Bridezilla's mother, Sophie's job suddenly became ultra-challenging.
Although the book was well written, it lacked the "com" that I was seeking in a rom-com that boasted such a scintillating and innovative premise.
There were a handful of amusing moments, but I was seeking more.
I listened to the audiobook read by Nathalie Buscombe, who did an outstanding job with the narration.
3 stars, rounded up.
"The Secret Bridesmaid" had a very compelling premise.
Sophie, the book's deeply flawed protagonist, is a "professional bridesmaid" hired by "friendless" brides to make sure that their images and weddings are flawless.
When hired by an affluent and self-absorbed Bridezilla's mother, Sophie's job suddenly became ultra-challenging.
Although the book was well written, it lacked the "com" that I was seeking in a rom-com that boasted such a scintillating and innovative premise.
There were a handful of amusing moments, but I was seeking more.
I listened to the audiobook read by Nathalie Buscombe, who did an outstanding job with the narration.
3 stars, rounded up.
Read
May 23, 2024This was a cute read (and for clean romance lovers, nothing more than a kiss!).
May 12, 2021
Charming, flirty, and comical!
The Secret Bridesmaid is a heartwarming, amusing tale that takes us to London, England and into the life of the patient, committed Sophie Breeze as she juggles a demanding career, a famous yet difficult bride, and a growing attraction for a man who, unfortunately, doesn’t even know her real name.
The prose is smooth and light. The characters, including all the supporting characters, are feisty, fun-loving, and intriguing. And the plot is a heartfelt, flirty blend of tricky situations, tender moments, humorous hijinks, self-discovery, friendship, family, happiness, romance, and all the complex ins and outs of planning the perfect wedding.
Overall, The Secret Bridesmaid is a humorous, enjoyable, highly entertaining treat that’s a fantastic adult debut by Birchall that, in my opinion, is the perfect rom-com for any day at the beach.
Thank you to SMP Romance – St. Martin’s Press for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
The Secret Bridesmaid is a heartwarming, amusing tale that takes us to London, England and into the life of the patient, committed Sophie Breeze as she juggles a demanding career, a famous yet difficult bride, and a growing attraction for a man who, unfortunately, doesn’t even know her real name.
The prose is smooth and light. The characters, including all the supporting characters, are feisty, fun-loving, and intriguing. And the plot is a heartfelt, flirty blend of tricky situations, tender moments, humorous hijinks, self-discovery, friendship, family, happiness, romance, and all the complex ins and outs of planning the perfect wedding.
Overall, The Secret Bridesmaid is a humorous, enjoyable, highly entertaining treat that’s a fantastic adult debut by Birchall that, in my opinion, is the perfect rom-com for any day at the beach.
Thank you to SMP Romance – St. Martin’s Press for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
January 18, 2021
This book was delightful! It’s rare that I give a 5-star ratings to chick-lit, but this one was exactly what I needed. It was funny and smart with lots of laugh-out-loud moments and a cast of charming characters. I especially enjoyed that that the book was more focused on friendship and loyalty than a sappy romance. It was fun and smushy in all the right places - the perfect escape book.
Thanks to St. Martins Press and Goodreads for this advanced copy! the Secret Bridesmaid is on sale May 4, 2021.
Thanks to St. Martins Press and Goodreads for this advanced copy! the Secret Bridesmaid is on sale May 4, 2021.
April 27, 2021
The Secret Bridesmaid, by Katy Birchall, has all the trappings of a fun, funny romantic story -- but instead it is a little hard to believe, tough to swallow, and a little, sadly, boring.
Sophie Breeze is a professional bridesmaid, who makes her living pretending to be friends with brides all around London, in order to help them with all things wedding related, from keeping their new in-laws from fighting, to helping pick out flower arrangements, all the way to wearing a Chewbacca outfit to the ceremony (yes, that is an actual scene in this book). Sophie does all of this while keeping her status as a paid employee 100% confidential -- instead, she poses as a childhood friend, a distant family member, a new friend from work -- anything to keep the bride's friends, family, and often even groom, from knowing her true identity.
When Sophie is hired by the mother of Lady Cordelia, the bride is not happy about it -- and makes that displeasure clear to Sophie, doing everything she can to get Sophie to quit. Sophie is determined to hang on and see it through, however, not just because of her work ethic, or the connections that this wedding will provide her, but at least in part because of Cordelia's surprisingly hot brother.
Right off the bat, one has to accept the premise that hiring a wedding planner is somehow such a tremendous embarrassment, even in the year 2021, that folks would go so far as to lie to their closest loved ones about a friend so dear to them that they could potentially be a bridesmaid. This premise is based on reality (professional bridesmaids are a thing!) but it is a little hard to accept in the case of Cordelia and her family -- Cordelia famously has no friends, and yet here is one ready-made the moment she wants to get married. The premise, therefore, requires a little suspension of disbelief. As for Cordelia herself, she is so fundamentally terrible and cruel a person that even the inevitable explanation as to the trauma that causes such cruelness is, again, a little tough to swallow. Cordelia is, after all, a full grown adult who is hazing a paid employee -- not a character I found myself particularly wanting to root for.
Sophie's journey through the book is a little messy and poorly fleshed out -- she has been told by her recent ex-boyfriend (who is newly engaged) and Cordelia herself that she lacks spontaneity, that she works as a bridesmaid because she's too cowardly for the spotlight, and that she should be more "sassy" (what, exactly, is meant by sassy is unclear, but the word is used at least a dozen times throughout the novel). Sophie doesn't exactly go on a journey of self-discovery, nor does she really address these issues head on. Instead, she whines about it to her BFF/cousin, uses it as an excuse to continue with the job even while she's being hazed, and eventually ends up...nowhere much changed. Her entire internal path is vague and unclear, and for a book that is fundamentally about that, it doesn't bode well that even describing WHAT Sophie's issues are, exactly, is challenging for the reader.
The love interest is similarly poorly fleshed out -- he is hot, he is vaguely charming, and he lacks much personality. The relationship between Sophie and Cordelia is somewhat more compelling (although I found myself wanting to shake Sophie and tell her to get the heck out of that job), but the characters overall are a bit stale.
There are a few amusing moments sprinkled throughout, and it is not outwardly offensive (although the thorough lack of diversity is borderline), but overall it is a rather bland, boring take on what could have been a fun, funny story.
Thank you to St. Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for the ARC!
Sophie Breeze is a professional bridesmaid, who makes her living pretending to be friends with brides all around London, in order to help them with all things wedding related, from keeping their new in-laws from fighting, to helping pick out flower arrangements, all the way to wearing a Chewbacca outfit to the ceremony (yes, that is an actual scene in this book). Sophie does all of this while keeping her status as a paid employee 100% confidential -- instead, she poses as a childhood friend, a distant family member, a new friend from work -- anything to keep the bride's friends, family, and often even groom, from knowing her true identity.
When Sophie is hired by the mother of Lady Cordelia, the bride is not happy about it -- and makes that displeasure clear to Sophie, doing everything she can to get Sophie to quit. Sophie is determined to hang on and see it through, however, not just because of her work ethic, or the connections that this wedding will provide her, but at least in part because of Cordelia's surprisingly hot brother.
Right off the bat, one has to accept the premise that hiring a wedding planner is somehow such a tremendous embarrassment, even in the year 2021, that folks would go so far as to lie to their closest loved ones about a friend so dear to them that they could potentially be a bridesmaid. This premise is based on reality (professional bridesmaids are a thing!) but it is a little hard to accept in the case of Cordelia and her family -- Cordelia famously has no friends, and yet here is one ready-made the moment she wants to get married. The premise, therefore, requires a little suspension of disbelief. As for Cordelia herself, she is so fundamentally terrible and cruel a person that even the inevitable explanation as to the trauma that causes such cruelness is, again, a little tough to swallow. Cordelia is, after all, a full grown adult who is hazing a paid employee -- not a character I found myself particularly wanting to root for.
Sophie's journey through the book is a little messy and poorly fleshed out -- she has been told by her recent ex-boyfriend (who is newly engaged) and Cordelia herself that she lacks spontaneity, that she works as a bridesmaid because she's too cowardly for the spotlight, and that she should be more "sassy" (what, exactly, is meant by sassy is unclear, but the word is used at least a dozen times throughout the novel). Sophie doesn't exactly go on a journey of self-discovery, nor does she really address these issues head on. Instead, she whines about it to her BFF/cousin, uses it as an excuse to continue with the job even while she's being hazed, and eventually ends up...nowhere much changed. Her entire internal path is vague and unclear, and for a book that is fundamentally about that, it doesn't bode well that even describing WHAT Sophie's issues are, exactly, is challenging for the reader.
The love interest is similarly poorly fleshed out -- he is hot, he is vaguely charming, and he lacks much personality. The relationship between Sophie and Cordelia is somewhat more compelling (although I found myself wanting to shake Sophie and tell her to get the heck out of that job), but the characters overall are a bit stale.
There are a few amusing moments sprinkled throughout, and it is not outwardly offensive (although the thorough lack of diversity is borderline), but overall it is a rather bland, boring take on what could have been a fun, funny story.
Thank you to St. Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for the ARC!
July 23, 2023
Sophie Breeze werkt als professioneel bruidsmeisje, en die baan is net zo geweldig en gek als je je kunt voorstellen: ze gaat undercover om toekomstige bruiden de perfecte dag te bezorgen. Samen met de bruid bedenkt ze een smoes waarom de familieleden en vrienden haar nog niet kennen, ze neemt veel regelwerk uit handen, blust kleine brandjes en kan ingezet worden voor de vreemdste verzoekjes. Niks is haar te gek, alles voor de bruid!
Wanneer de moeder van Lady Cordelia Swann haar inhuurt om het huwelijk te organiseren, ziet Sophie dit als een kans om haar klantenbestand uit te breiden. Maar Cordelia zit helemaal niet op haar hulp te wachten en ontpopt zich tot een echte bridezilla: ze liegt, saboteert en komt met idiote verzoeken. En dan is er ook nog haar knappe broer, die wel heel leuk is, maar niet mag ontdekken wie Sophie echt is. Kan ze deze opdracht tot een goed einde brengen?
Om maar met de deur in huis te vallen: wat is dit een LEUK boek! Vanaf de eerste bladzijde zit je volledig in het verhaal en door de meeslepende, luchtige en humoristische schrijfstijl kun je dit boek vrijwel niet wegleggen. Sophie is een geweldig personage, ze is intelligent, inventief, blijft dicht bij zichzelf, ze weet wat ze wil en heeft veel plezier in haar werk maar is soms ook onzeker, ze wordt heel ‘echt’ neergezet. Ze laat zich niet uit het veld slaan, welke uitdaging ook op haar pad komt, ook al moet ze soms wel heel ver gaan om de wensen van haar cliënten te vervullen.
Maar niet alleen Sophie, ook de andere personages in dit boek zijn sterk en origineel neergezet en maken een mooie ontwikkeling door. Het grote verhaal over de bruiloft van Lady Cordelia wordt afgewisseld met mails en appjes over andere bruiloften (werkelijk hilarisch, hier wilde ik meer van!) en dit boek leest als je favoriete romantische komedie die je nog wel 30x wilt kijken. Niet alles is wat het lijkt, het verhaal is luchtig maar wordt nergens oppervlakkig, bevat een vleugje romantiek, gaat soms héél even over the top maar nooit te lang, dit is gewoon echt een heerlijke feelgood om ultiem van te genieten. Een enorme aanrader voor deze zomer!
4-4.5⭐️
Wanneer de moeder van Lady Cordelia Swann haar inhuurt om het huwelijk te organiseren, ziet Sophie dit als een kans om haar klantenbestand uit te breiden. Maar Cordelia zit helemaal niet op haar hulp te wachten en ontpopt zich tot een echte bridezilla: ze liegt, saboteert en komt met idiote verzoeken. En dan is er ook nog haar knappe broer, die wel heel leuk is, maar niet mag ontdekken wie Sophie echt is. Kan ze deze opdracht tot een goed einde brengen?
Om maar met de deur in huis te vallen: wat is dit een LEUK boek! Vanaf de eerste bladzijde zit je volledig in het verhaal en door de meeslepende, luchtige en humoristische schrijfstijl kun je dit boek vrijwel niet wegleggen. Sophie is een geweldig personage, ze is intelligent, inventief, blijft dicht bij zichzelf, ze weet wat ze wil en heeft veel plezier in haar werk maar is soms ook onzeker, ze wordt heel ‘echt’ neergezet. Ze laat zich niet uit het veld slaan, welke uitdaging ook op haar pad komt, ook al moet ze soms wel heel ver gaan om de wensen van haar cliënten te vervullen.
Maar niet alleen Sophie, ook de andere personages in dit boek zijn sterk en origineel neergezet en maken een mooie ontwikkeling door. Het grote verhaal over de bruiloft van Lady Cordelia wordt afgewisseld met mails en appjes over andere bruiloften (werkelijk hilarisch, hier wilde ik meer van!) en dit boek leest als je favoriete romantische komedie die je nog wel 30x wilt kijken. Niet alles is wat het lijkt, het verhaal is luchtig maar wordt nergens oppervlakkig, bevat een vleugje romantiek, gaat soms héél even over the top maar nooit te lang, dit is gewoon echt een heerlijke feelgood om ultiem van te genieten. Een enorme aanrader voor deze zomer!
4-4.5⭐️
November 9, 2022
This has cropped up in my various feeds for a while and I finally took a shot at it. And enjoyed it fairly well. I liked Sophie from the jump and that saw me through any difficulties I had.
And now I'm torn. There's a lot right with the story. Sophie is fun and her friends and family are interesting in their support of her. I liked that she doesn't have to fight them as is so often the case with this genre (because of the required growth arc). And I liked that her growth wasn't huge or obvious and that she managed it so gracefully. And I particularly liked the throughline highlighted by "Grace costs you nothing".
But there were bits that rankled, rather, as well. Like, when Cordelia made her initial plots and gave Sophie a list of impossible things to do and Sophie actually started on them like they were a real thing. Because Sophie is too stupid to filter the possible from the impossible, apparently. I did like her hitting the possible ones out of the park. But wasting any brainspace at all on half of them was just silly. Leading swans down the aisle? Srsly?!?
And the obvious plot element that hit towards the end was so obvious and the results sadly predictable—along with the solution and resolution. Though it took way too long to resolve, while we're at it, making the eventual reconciliation feel tacked on.
And, worst for me, the romance was lamesauce on a lame pudding served at lame o'clock. I mean, the story didn't treat it like it was the greatest romance ever, at least, but still, I wanted to see Sophie have someone who supported and appreciated and trusted her. Though the romance desert is made up a bit by Jonathan and Cordelia's relationship that really was very sweet.
So this ends up a solid four stars because for all my gripes, I was engaged and entertained through the whole thing.
A note about Chaste: There's no explicit sex in the story, which is fine because Sophie and her eventual boy don't even date until near the very end. There's some kissing, but that's pretty much it. Oh, and some frank discussions, but I don't ever count those.
And now I'm torn. There's a lot right with the story. Sophie is fun and her friends and family are interesting in their support of her. I liked that she doesn't have to fight them as is so often the case with this genre (because of the required growth arc). And I liked that her growth wasn't huge or obvious and that she managed it so gracefully. And I particularly liked the throughline highlighted by "Grace costs you nothing".
But there were bits that rankled, rather, as well. Like, when Cordelia made her initial plots and gave Sophie a list of impossible things to do and Sophie actually started on them like they were a real thing. Because Sophie is too stupid to filter the possible from the impossible, apparently. I did like her hitting the possible ones out of the park. But wasting any brainspace at all on half of them was just silly. Leading swans down the aisle? Srsly?!?
And the obvious plot element that hit towards the end was so obvious and the results sadly predictable—along with the solution and resolution. Though it took way too long to resolve, while we're at it, making the eventual reconciliation feel tacked on.
And, worst for me, the romance was lamesauce on a lame pudding served at lame o'clock. I mean, the story didn't treat it like it was the greatest romance ever, at least, but still, I wanted to see Sophie have someone who supported and appreciated and trusted her. Though the romance desert is made up a bit by Jonathan and Cordelia's relationship that really was very sweet.
So this ends up a solid four stars because for all my gripes, I was engaged and entertained through the whole thing.
A note about Chaste: There's no explicit sex in the story, which is fine because Sophie and her eventual boy don't even date until near the very end. There's some kissing, but that's pretty much it. Oh, and some frank discussions, but I don't ever count those.
June 29, 2024
The Secret Bridesmaid was just a delight. Sophie is a professional bridesmaid - kind of an event planner but more persona, in London. She is hired to help brides cope with all the details around an upcoming wedding , posing as an old friend and acting as a bridesmaid or maid of honor. Sophie is still reeling from being dumped by her love interest of several years, part of a tight friend group, who has the bad taste to invite her to his wedding. At the same time, Sophie is hired by an upper crust family to help with their daughter’s wedding. Unfortunately, the bride has no interest in working with Sophie, so they are off to an awkward start. Cordelia even tries to sabotage Sophie, telling people she’s a professional escort, and other lies.
While billed as a romance, I felt this was more about friendship, trust and second chances. The romance was minor. There are several funny interludes between chapters, highlighting Sophie’s correspondence with brides and vendors, group texts during “hen do’s” (American = bachelorette parties), etc.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for the opportunity to read a review copy of this book. I wound up listening to the audiobook, courtesy of my public library, on a long flight, which was narrated beautifully by Nathalie Buscombe. All opinions are my own.
While billed as a romance, I felt this was more about friendship, trust and second chances. The romance was minor. There are several funny interludes between chapters, highlighting Sophie’s correspondence with brides and vendors, group texts during “hen do’s” (American = bachelorette parties), etc.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for the opportunity to read a review copy of this book. I wound up listening to the audiobook, courtesy of my public library, on a long flight, which was narrated beautifully by Nathalie Buscombe. All opinions are my own.
August 22, 2021
*2.5 STARS*
Description: Sophie Breeze is the girl you hire when you're not too inclined to hire a wedding planner but you still need help organizing your wedding. Everyone loves having Sophie around, she's nice, friendly and a problem solver. Her life might not be how she wanted - her ex after a 8year relationship remarries before she even goes on a single post-breakup date and he has the audacity to invite Sophie to his wedding, but hey - work is going Great. Enter Lady Cordelia: hers would be the wedding of the century, but she refuses the help Sophie was hired to offer and instead tries to make her quit by being the most annoyingly diva in history. But in the midst of trying to pull Cordelia's wedding off, keep her identity secret from the bride's handsome brother, Sophie and Cordelia spark an unusual...dare she call it... friendship?
My Thoughts:
Stuff I liked
>Sophie's inner monologue was very funny
>I like the peek into her other weddings
> The cover for the book is very pretty
Stuff I didn't like
- anything that had to do with Cordelia annoyed me beyond measure (I understand that is is the antagonist, but it is very difficult to brush aside the things she says or does once they become friends)
-the love-subplot felt, at best, out of place (there was no chemistry between them and they didn't contribute anything to the story, so for me it makes no sense why they were ever paired up together)
-I didn't see why Sophie needed to "sass it up" or why it was such a big deal in the story. Was she not worthy being the main character if she wasn't sassy? (this is my personal opinion)
Bottom line: It was an OKAY read. I have to confess that past the 50% mark I had to push myself to finish it since it got increasingly annoying and uncomfortable (again, Cordelia's bullying took two starts off this rating). It was fun for a while and then it wasn't but hey, maybe I wasn't the target audience.
Thank you NetGalley for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Description: Sophie Breeze is the girl you hire when you're not too inclined to hire a wedding planner but you still need help organizing your wedding. Everyone loves having Sophie around, she's nice, friendly and a problem solver. Her life might not be how she wanted - her ex after a 8year relationship remarries before she even goes on a single post-breakup date and he has the audacity to invite Sophie to his wedding, but hey - work is going Great. Enter Lady Cordelia: hers would be the wedding of the century, but she refuses the help Sophie was hired to offer and instead tries to make her quit by being the most annoyingly diva in history. But in the midst of trying to pull Cordelia's wedding off, keep her identity secret from the bride's handsome brother, Sophie and Cordelia spark an unusual...dare she call it... friendship?
My Thoughts:
Stuff I liked
>Sophie's inner monologue was very funny
>I like the peek into her other weddings
> The cover for the book is very pretty
Stuff I didn't like
- anything that had to do with Cordelia annoyed me beyond measure (I understand that is is the antagonist, but it is very difficult to brush aside the things she says or does once they become friends)
-the love-subplot felt, at best, out of place (there was no chemistry between them and they didn't contribute anything to the story, so for me it makes no sense why they were ever paired up together)
-I didn't see why Sophie needed to "sass it up" or why it was such a big deal in the story. Was she not worthy being the main character if she wasn't sassy? (this is my personal opinion)
Bottom line: It was an OKAY read. I have to confess that past the 50% mark I had to push myself to finish it since it got increasingly annoying and uncomfortable (again, Cordelia's bullying took two starts off this rating). It was fun for a while and then it wasn't but hey, maybe I wasn't the target audience.
Thank you NetGalley for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
May 9, 2021
4.5/ 5 stars
The Secret Bridesmaid is my first book by this author. It is her adult fiction debut.
The story takes place in the UK and is sort of a combination between chick lit, women's fiction and a British rom-com.
The narrator is Sophie (31 years old-1st person POV). She is a professional bridesmaid.
I loved this premise so much. Sophie loves weddings. She has turned this into a full time job. She is hired to pose as the bride's friend. She works to help plan the perfect wedding. But the wedding guests don't know. The title is perfection.
I absolutely loved getting to see all of the weddings that Sophie was a part of. It made this book extra special. Also in between chapters the author includes emails and phone messages from brides and vendors. This really set the tone for the book.
This book does have some romance. But it's not really the main focus of the story IMO. Yes there are weddings. So the book does have a romantic feel to it. But the book focuses more on Sophie's job. I definitely wish that there had been more focus on romance.
The book is really about friendship. I loved Sophie's cousin Cara. And I loved the friendships that Sophie made with the brides.
The book was funny, but it was also charming. This was a quick, fun, light read. I really enjoyed it.
Thanks to netgalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read this book.
The Secret Bridesmaid is my first book by this author. It is her adult fiction debut.
The story takes place in the UK and is sort of a combination between chick lit, women's fiction and a British rom-com.
The narrator is Sophie (31 years old-1st person POV). She is a professional bridesmaid.
I loved this premise so much. Sophie loves weddings. She has turned this into a full time job. She is hired to pose as the bride's friend. She works to help plan the perfect wedding. But the wedding guests don't know. The title is perfection.
I absolutely loved getting to see all of the weddings that Sophie was a part of. It made this book extra special. Also in between chapters the author includes emails and phone messages from brides and vendors. This really set the tone for the book.
This book does have some romance. But it's not really the main focus of the story IMO. Yes there are weddings. So the book does have a romantic feel to it. But the book focuses more on Sophie's job. I definitely wish that there had been more focus on romance.
The book is really about friendship. I loved Sophie's cousin Cara. And I loved the friendships that Sophie made with the brides.
The book was funny, but it was also charming. This was a quick, fun, light read. I really enjoyed it.
Thanks to netgalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read this book.
August 31, 2023
This was an unexpectedly delightful story in the spirit of Sophie Kinsella but with characters I actually liked and a plot that left me satisfied.
I forgot who recommended it to me, but thank you, kind person.
Meet Sophie, a secret bridesmaid. What bride wants to admit defeat and hire a wedding planner? Not the ones Sophie comes into contact with. So, while pretending to be an old school chum or long lost cousin or forgotten college roommate, she slips into the wedding party and from the background, runs everything necessary to make sure things go smoothly on her client's special day. No one ever finds out.
When Sophie gets offered a chance to work her magic on THE wedding of the century, she can't believe her luck. There is only one minor setback...the bride hates her.
Sophie makes this book stand out, though admittedly, more for the clichés she avoids than the ones she fulfills. She actually enjoys her job, has a healthy relationship with her parents, and behaves professionally much more often than you would expect. Her character growth comes across naturally. And she's just very likable.
She's also funny. This book made me laugh out loud on multiple occasions.
There is a romance playing out in the background but it is truly in the background. The real relationship driving this book is Sophie and the unwilling bride. Their friendship creates a nice foil for the plot and even when the Big, Foreseeable Climax hits, felt much more realistic than any betrayal form the romantic lead.
If you're at all a fan of British rom coms, I definitely recommend checking this one out.
I forgot who recommended it to me, but thank you, kind person.
Meet Sophie, a secret bridesmaid. What bride wants to admit defeat and hire a wedding planner? Not the ones Sophie comes into contact with. So, while pretending to be an old school chum or long lost cousin or forgotten college roommate, she slips into the wedding party and from the background, runs everything necessary to make sure things go smoothly on her client's special day. No one ever finds out.
When Sophie gets offered a chance to work her magic on THE wedding of the century, she can't believe her luck. There is only one minor setback...the bride hates her.
Sophie makes this book stand out, though admittedly, more for the clichés she avoids than the ones she fulfills. She actually enjoys her job, has a healthy relationship with her parents, and behaves professionally much more often than you would expect. Her character growth comes across naturally. And she's just very likable.
She's also funny. This book made me laugh out loud on multiple occasions.
There is a romance playing out in the background but it is truly in the background. The real relationship driving this book is Sophie and the unwilling bride. Their friendship creates a nice foil for the plot and even when the Big, Foreseeable Climax hits, felt much more realistic than any betrayal form the romantic lead.
If you're at all a fan of British rom coms, I definitely recommend checking this one out.
January 1, 2022
The Secret Bridesmaid is a heartwarming story of friendship and love. Sophie is a professional bridesmaid hired for Cordelia's wedding. Cordelia wants nothing to do with Sophie which makes Sophie's job harder. Sophie is attracted to Cordelia's brother but knows he is off limits. This story is funny and sweet. I loved the characters and the story is entertaining. I recommend The Secret Bridesmaid to anyone looking for a lighthearted novel.
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Nathalie Buscombe and enjoyed the narration.
Thank you St. Martin's Press and Macmillan audio for The Secret Bridesmaid.
Full review coming soon: https://justreadingjess.wordpress.com/
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Nathalie Buscombe and enjoyed the narration.
Thank you St. Martin's Press and Macmillan audio for The Secret Bridesmaid.
Full review coming soon: https://justreadingjess.wordpress.com/
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April 20, 2021As we near the publication date, I am so excited to introduce The Secret Bridesmaid to the world! I can't wait for everyone to meet Sophie, Cordelia and these characters, and I hope you will have as much fun reading their story as I've had writing it. Thank you to everyone taking the time to read it and leave a review, it is so appreciated. Happy reading!
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