The Rehearsals

by Annette Christie

Groundhog Day meets People We Meet on Vacation  in a funny and romantic novel about a couple who call off their wedding after a disastrous rehearsal dinner—only to wake up the next morning on an "irresistible" adventure (Elin Hilderbrand, New York Times bestselling author of The Hotel Nantucket ).

The wedding is tomorrow. If today ever ends.

"A sweet, delightful romance." — People
"An enchanting and compelling look at life's what-if's." —Helen Hoang
"Terrific fun from beginning to end."   —Sarah Haywood

Megan Givens and Tom Prescott are heading into what is supposed to be their magical wedding weekend on beautiful San Juan Island. But with two difficult families, ten years of history, and all too many secrets, things quickly go wrong. After a disastrous rehearsal dinner they vow to call the whole thing off—only to wake up the next morning stuck together in a time loop. Are they really destined to relive the worst day of their lives, over and over? And what happens if their wedding day does arrive?

A funny, romantic, and big-hearted debut novel, The Rehearsals imagines what we might do if given a second chance at life and at love—and what it means to finally get both right.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Fiction, Chick Lit, Contemporary Romance, Adult, Audiobook

336 pages, Paperback

First published July 13, 2021

About the author

Annette Christie is the author of The Rehearsals, For Twice in My Life, and Love Lessons. She has a BFA in Theatre and a history of very odd jobs. The back of her head is featured prominently in the film Mean Girls. She currently resides in Arizona with her husband and two children.

Reviews

[Sheena ☆ Book Sheenanigans · Rating 1 out of 5]

Spoilers be damned.

This was a strong No.

Megan and Tom were awful together.

I am all for the lies, betrayals, angst, secrets, misunderstandings, crazy rich family dynamics, second chance in re-discovering love but I do not condone cheating from the main characters whatsoever.

Meg slept with Leo—Tom's best friend from college and best man at the wedding—not once, but twice and had the audacity to throw it at Tom’s face.

I was not feeling that.

Alongside that, once Meg's cheatfest was revealed addition to Tom’s inability to inform his fiancé that he accepted a job offer and they will be moving to Missouri without her knowledge the day of their wedding rehearsals, I was done and over with this couple and I pretty much just ended up skimming to the last few pages to catch their ‘happily ever after’. Gag.

Obviously this ‘funny, romantic, and big-hearted debut novel’ missed the mark and there is a high, high chance I will not read from this author again.

[Shay ☆ · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars. Think Palm Springs & Groundhog Day but angsty-er.

"Every choice she made in every single day seemed to be the wrong one. How could she try on life after life and still have nothing fit?"

This is a brilliantly-written & outstanding rom-com that will leave you breathless. It is everything I've ever wanted in a rom-com.

*SPOILER-FREE:
Megan & Tom is preparing what should be the best day of their entire lives. 12 long years together & there is no one else they are more familiar with & finally they were going to get married. 12 years is a very long time for secrets to pile & build momentum, finally exploding on their rehearsal dinner leaving both of them stranded & lost on the where the path ahead was going to be. This is story of family feud, second-chances & finding your best self.

This was so fast-paced & eventful that I could only put it down once before I devoured it in two sittings.

At first I was afraid that the time-loop would become repetitive but it was the exact opposite. This book was an unpredictable whirlwind (I mean this in the best way) & absolutely hilarious. Each day-repetition brought revelation after revelation that was sprinkled with humorous yet meaningful anecdotes & happenings.

I absolutely loved how life-like & realistically human the characters were. I found Megan to be extremely relatable in her relationship with her mother. In my life, I don't think I've ever had a relationship more toxic than the one I've had with my own mother. It is a love-hate relationship that veers towards hate more than love & it was so inspiring to see Megan wade through the muddy pieces of her borderline-traumatic childhood & find herself, a better version of the daughter her mother raised. Nothing was more refreshing than seeing Tom break out of the cage his family & his own cowardice have confined him in for decades.

The family aspect of this was so well-done. I truly felt suffocated & exhausted every time I was in the vicinity of the family members. The chaotic, often toxic mess called family is something my Asian ass can relate to 100%. The interactions captured the familial dynamics perfectly. This book deals with the tough tangled mess of family & love delicately but firmly, something I appreciate to no end.

Also, that day when both of them were just like "F*ck it! I'm going to do whatever I want!" was so hilarious. I had a blast! Megan peeing with the door open & Tom spontaneously taking off his shirt at the golf course & throwing it at a nearby lady are two of the most memorable scenes for me.

It is safe to say that the characters were very substantial & full of depth & complexity. I was completely invested in their individual inner conflicts & growth.

Consequently, I was even more invested in their relationship.


The romance was IMPECCABLE. It felt raw, authentic & full of angst. This book is filled with the cutest & most endearing memories of their 12-year relationship & as the book went along, I fell more & more in love with their love. Their relationship is far from perfect & really showed how much work goes into it, often making the conscious decision to choose one another, to choose love. It is impossible for partners to feel certain & sure in each other everyday for decades upon decades & this book really showed the sense of uncertainty that comes with every real long-term relationship. Their love was profound, deep & mature. Something that is rare in rom-coms.

Christie's prose is beautiful & emotional. Her writing had me highlighting lines here & there as there were so many frame-worthy quotes. The book was extremely easy to read & flowed so well. It was easy to connect with the writing & I fell into Megan & Tom's world right away.

This book induced in me, a myriad of emotions, mini epiphanies & tugged at all my heartstrings. The ending had my heart swelling to twice its size.

I have decided to champion this book as one of the best contemporary romance releases of this year & would highly recommend this to everybody. Despite the story sounding a little weighty, it definitely is still considered a light read that is substantial & memorable. It brought me back to my days of my Sophie Kinsella binge-reads & this book was just as superb.

〖 Follow me on Instagram (@shashaybooks)! 〗

I cannot thank Hodder & Stoughton enough for providing me a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

[Jennifer ~ TarHeelReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Do you enjoy time travel in books? The Rehearsals has elements of time travel that enrich the story, and I really loved this refreshing debut. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen the movie Groundhog Day (terrible, I know), but I often use that phrase. Well, this book definitely brings that phrase to life in such a fun way.

Megan and Tom are getting married, and it’s their wedding weekend on a gorgeous island. Things are bubbling up below the surface, though, with their families, and several secrets… The rehearsal dinner is a mess, and the wedding is likely to be called off. When Megan and Tom wake up, they are stuck in a time loop- over and over, they have to relive that horrible day.

The Rehearsals is a thoughtful debut that kept me guessing, asking the question, isn’t love worth fighting for? There’s a deeper meaning here than I ever expected, and I appreciated the takeaway. I also laughed a few times and even enjoyed the open ending because I could find my own closure with the characters.

I received a gifted copy.

Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader

[Megan Newton · Rating 1 out of 5]

These people should not get married lol

[Sabi · Rating 1 out of 5]

The premise of the book is way better than the actual read. The characters are so unlikable.



---Unpopular Review---
I didn't like the Romance, or the Comedy. The first few chapters were okay, I guess.

This one was one of the few novels that I didn't liked neither at the beginning nor in the end.

[Laurie Flynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five resounding stars! A refreshing and very astute observation of relationships, both the ones you have with the people closest to you and the one you have with yourself. THE REHEARSALS is smart and nuanced, the kind of book that makes its reader feel seen. Anything set around a wedding is kryptonite for me, and Annette Christie beautifully weaves wedding angst with secrets, betrayals, confrontation, and what it really means to choose someone else, and yourself. Beautiful, fun, and surprising. I loved it!

[Darla · Rating 4 out of 5]

This fascinating debut novel could also double as a self-help book. Annette Christie has crafted a story where a couple relives the day of the day of their wedding rehearsal in what they fear will be an endless loop. How can they move on to the wedding day and will there even be a wedding? They exhibit the stages of grief and truly as we learn more about them we see the trauma that has shaped who they are today. I could not help but think of the book of Ecclesiastes and also the ultimate way to escape the hamster wheel of our lives -- the hope of salvation. If you liked In a Holidaze, this is a book you might enjoy even more. Especially since we are in the height of wedding season.

Thank you to Little, Brown, and Company and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

[Stephanie]

DNF @ 65%. Ever since I first heard of this book, I have looked forward to it. I thought it sounded fun and the cover was cute. Unfortunately, I ended up HATING it. The characters were awful. Their relationship was awful. For some reason I kept reading because I was hoping it would get better, but once Megan cheated on Tom AGAIN - and he cheated on her for payback - I just couldn't take it anymore. What a disappointment this turned out to be!

[AsToldByKenya · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5
this has low Goodreads score and I'm not surprised its kind of an anti romance book. The characters have real issues and you actually question if they should even be together. The book makes the reader actually be in conversation with who the 2 main characters are as people instead of just making them happily ever after. The premise worked for me and I enjoyed the story. My issue is actually the writing I do think it become redundant and its gets sleepy in the middle. If you find yourself being exhausted by romance slop we get over and over and over again lately this may be something you should pick up.

[Dee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this "Groundhog Day" like trope! This tale of two young people stuck in a "time loop" on their wedding rehearsal day, forced to get it right before they can "re-set", is really more of a character study in love, forgiveness and personal growth. Funny at times - painful at others, I was always invested in it.

[Lana (Bibliomedico) · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm sorry to say this ...
But this book was SOOOO bad !!!
Seriously ,I really regret reading it ...


The relationship between the main couple was horrible and toxic ( I don't understand how anyone could describe this story as a " romance novel" ) ...

I picked It up after watching it on almost all of #romancebookstagrammers accounts and because of the blurb ( I thought it would be really funny and cute especially because of the plot twist) . Unfortunately ,both people who recommended it and the blurb were misleading ...

As I just wrote ,the relationship dynamic between megs and Tom was disastrous ( the author spent the whole book trying to excuse *spoiler alert*....................





Cheating and blaming the one who was cheated on ) and in my opinion , nothing excuses that !!! ! )

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars
Thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for an egalley in exchange for an honest review.

A groundhog type romantic comedy which has the bride and groom reliving the night before their wedding again and again. Although the actions of Megan and Tom had me alternating between laughing, crying or simply shaking my head, I enjoyed this tale from beginning to end. I appreciated that the author gave us( the readers) a lot of food for thought as twists and turns are around every corner. Even the most cynical at heart cannot resist this charming tale.

#TheRehearsals #NetGalley

Publication Date 13/07/21
Goodreads review 25/07/21

[Sonia Hartl · Rating 5 out of 5]

How can I properly articulate all the things this book made me feel? It was just stunning. Beautifully, deeply, emotionally complex. A meaningful deconstruction of the way two people who love each other can both hurt and heal each other.

This book made me take a second look at all those big “what if” moments in my life and examine them honestly. It ingeniously showed the way nostalgia and resentment and regrets and guilt can distort the way you view your past and yourself. I went through so many emotions reading this book, sometimes all of them at the same time. I laughed and cried and rooted against situations I turned around and rooted for with every fiber of my being a handful of pages later. The characters were so real and utterly relatable in their flaws and realizations to the point where you become molded to the pages and understand and self-actualize with the characters, as if you’ve become a part of them.

And it’s so smart. It makes you think, it makes you feel, and it pulls you apart then carefully, brilliantly knits you back together. This is one of those rare books where I didn’t just get lost in the story (though I did) or fall deeply in love with the characters (though that also happened), but I walked away with an understanding of myself I didn’t have before. It made me look at certain things in my own life through a new lens, and gave me a much deeper appreciation for the “what is” over the “what if”.

I love this book with everything that I have. It’s going down as one of my favorites of all-time and will absolutely be a reread for me. Highly, highly, highly recommend.

[Krista · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can see how this book can be polarizing. I agree that Megan and Tom's relationship at the beginning is so incredibly unhealthy. Then they get stuck in this loop of reliving the day before their wedding over and over again. They make some awful choices as they try to figure out how to break the cycle. The angst is real.

While I didn't love the characters or the melodrama, I am a bit of a sucker for a Groundhog Day trope. I thought the story was fun and was glad that eventually Megan and Tom faced the truth of who they had allowed themselves to become and started making healthier changes in their lives. It does end on a hopeful note.

Overall I enjoyed the read and gave this one three stars.

[Jenny Jo Weir · Rating 1 out of 5]

No. NO. NO!

First off, the whole ground hog day thing is cool, I didn't mind it one bit. And Tom is just a dream, really, he is. His fatal flaw is that he's too nice! He's a people pleaser who doesn't like confrontation and tries to make everyone happy and keep the peace. THIS is his flaw...so yeah, he's a dream.

Then there's Megan (insert eye roll). She is somewhat OK, but has this huge hang up on him pleasing his family and not standing up for her the way she feels he should...not that she says anything to him about it, but if she did, he would probably defend her and do what she wants because he's a people pleaser, so IF she would just tell him what bothers her, he'd likely fix it for her then and there as we see later on.

BUT the author tries to convince the readers that her cheating is the same thing as him not telling her he got a promotion and they are going to have to move! Are you kidding me? You think one thing is on the same level as the other? And to make it worse she does it again! She not only cheated on him and doesn't seem very repentant about it, but she does it again, thus proving she wasn't repentant. And he's the one to forgive her, when it should be her begging his forgiveness! He choses her, again, as if she's some prize... Sorry Charlie, you got the short end of the stick.

I'm not even going to get into regarding Leo because NO, just no.

[Zoe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Creative, thought-provoking, and delightfully optimistic!

The Rehearsals is a moving, time-loop tale that takes you into the lives of Megan and Tom, as after a disastrous rehearsal day, when difficult families, long-buried secrets, and thoughts of what-if leave them tired, confused, heartbroken, and calling the whole thing off fate magically intervenes leaving them reliving that same day over and over again in order to change, forgive and potentially rekindle the love they once shared.

The writing is sensitive and sincere. The characters are flawed, genuine, and weary. And the multi-layered plot is a heartfelt, absorbing tale about life, love, family, friendship, secrets, betrayal, compassion, romance, happiness, destiny, and second chances.

Overall, The Rehearsals is an emotional, pensive, brilliant debut by Christie that reminds us that life is complicated, things happen for a reason, secrets always have a way of coming to light, often the choices we make have far-reaching consequences, and love is, ultimately, always worth fighting for.

Thank you to HBG Canada and Forever for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Jenna · Rating 2 out of 5]

interesting concept but the characters were unlikable. their families were terrible and it's hard to feel empathy when Meg & Tom let them override their personal choices and do what is expected instead.
After a while, I just didn't care about these characters anymore.

[Gloria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Es una historia con una premisa original y un desarrollo coherente y bien desarrollado.
Me ha gustado mucho, aunque el "pero" que le he encontrado es que me ha resultado un poco repetitiva la estructura.
Recomendable.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

A whip-smart Groundhog Day reincarnation that will have you laughing and cringing in equal measure. The Rehearsals not only takes you on a wild ride, it forces you to ask yourself if you’re living your best life. Hilarious, heartfelt, and stay-up-all-night addictive.

[Kim ~ It’s All About the Thrill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rtc

[Miniikaty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reseña completa http://letraslibrosymas.blogspot.com/...

Boda a prueba” me llamaba mucho la atención y demás me apetecía leer algo de romántica ya que hacía tiempo que no me metía en el género y estaba tirando más hacia la fantasía y antes de saturarme decidí darle una oportunidad a esta novela, sin embargo, me daba un poco de miedo que el libro fuera denso y repetitivo por tratarse de un bucle temporal donde se repite el mismo día una y otra vez (a pesar de que esto también me atrae mucho 😅) pero para nada ha sido así. Se trata de una novela romántica -aunque para mí de comedia tiene poco he visto que se la clasifica como tal- y la trama puede parecer sencilla a primera vista, una pareja en crisis que repiten el día anterior a su boda para solucionar sus problemas, pero cuando vas avanzando descubres que se esconde algo más entre sus páginas, es una novela de autodescubrimiento, de familia, amor propio, oportunidades perdidas y esperanzas.

Es cierto que hay alguna parte un poco más lenta pero luego enseguida vuelve a coger buen ritmo, se lee súper rápido no solo porque te mantiene enganchada gracias al salseo, secretos que van saliendo a la luz y la dinámica que toman los protagonistas, también porque la letra es grandecita y la pluma de la autora resulta muy ligera y amena, sin grandes pretensiones ni florituras nos regala una bonita historia de amor, que te deja pegada a sus páginas y con el corazón blandito.

Una novela romántica dulce, agradable y con salseo que esconde mucho más en su interior.

[Sarah | Kerosene.Lit · Rating 4 out of 5]

This won’t be for everyone. These characters are flawed and make incredibly messy, terrible choices … including infidelity. This is a couple that is hard to support, at least for me. But gosh, the writing really pulled me in. I had such a great time reading this time-loop adventure!

Surrounded by their own dysfunctional families, the seemingly perfect relationship between Tom and Megan comes crumbling down on the day of their wedding rehearsal as secrets and betrayals are revealed.

Waking up to discover the day has repeated itself, it’s told through eight days as Tom and Megan attempt to fix their wrongs and reset time. And whew! These two had a lot of issues to unpack.

Truly uncertain how this one would end, the conclusion was the perfect fit for the journey these characters experienced. I loved the message of creating a life deliberately made by yourself, not one created by others. This story really surprised me!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for review

[Mia · Rating 1 out of 5]

I like premise of Groundhog Day and thought this is going to be cute rom-com but if was anything but that. This is toxic couple and they shouldn't be together, this book made me mad.

[elyssa ꫂ ၴႅၴ · Rating 1 out of 5]

this was the worst “romance” i have ever read

[ELL ʕ•́ᴥ•̀ʔっ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m very partial to time-loop stories :)

AND THIS WAS A GOOD ONE. The character development was on point and it was very cathartic of me for me to read and experience the protagonists’ arcs with them.

Something about a good time-loop story always makes me put life more into perspective, and this was one of them.

[Becca Noggle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Yikes…more like 1.5 stars, should have quit as soon as I started but had hopes it would get better…would not recommend.

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE REHEARSALS by Annette Christie is a super fun and feel good novel! I really loved it! It’s a Groundhog Day take on a couple, Megan and Tom, as they have their wedding rehearsal dinner and reevaluate their relationship.
.
I loved so much in this book:
-second chance romance
-hers and his POV
-meddling family members
-the beautiful PNW setting
-their bond over music
-all the what if scenarios
.
This one reminded me of In A Holidaze by Christina Lauren in the best way since I loved that book too. Honestly this book made me cry in the end and you know then that I loved it! This is a great contemporary romance!
.
Thank you to Little Brown for my gifted review copy!

[Alba Amor por los libros · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5*
Boda a prueba es una comedia romántica en la que los protagonistas se ven envueltos en un bucle temporal, repitiendo el mismo día, por x motivos, en el día antes de su boda en una isla paradisíaca con todos los miembros de sus familias ya allí presentes.
Sin duda promete muchas dosis de entretenimiento y diversión.

Yo iba buscando en él una historia amena, entretenida y muy ligera porque era lo que necesitaba tras mi anterior lectura y respecto a eso ha cumplido mis expectativas. Es un libro que se lee muy rápido y engancha. Está narrado por días (aunque siempre es el mismo) y desde el punto de vista de los dos protagonistas.

Me han gustado muchos de los mensajes que se lanzan respecto a las relaciones de pareja y también familiares y me ha parecido muy interesante cómo evolucionan los personajes.

Lo único que me ha faltado un pelín es quizás lograr conectar más con los personajes y sentir un poco más sus dramas. Y también que algunos días se me han hecho un poquito repetitivos a veces. Pero en general es un libro que ha cumplido lo que prometía y lo que yo esperaba de él. Me ha mantenido muy entretenida.

[Lena's Version · Rating 4 out of 5]

7/10
Toda una sorpresa esta historia. La premisa del día de la marmota en el que se ven obligados a vivir Tom y Megan antes de su boda podía haber caído en algo repetitivo o monótono, pero nada de eso. Ha sido bastante entretenida y esconde mucho más de lo que parece. Como una metáfora de saber parar y pararse a pensar; en quienes son, qué quieren y, más importante, qué no quieren ser.
Me ha gustado cómo la autora va desvelando sus vidas y momentos de pareja a pinceladas llenas de matices en el momento justo. Y las diferentes formas de afrontar el bucle temporal cada día.
Ellos me han encantado como pareja con sus fallos y aciertos, aunque el tema Leo, la 2ª vez,... me ha chirriado y ensuciado un poco la historia. Pero en general ha sido una lectura muy buena.

[Sujin P. · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful novel! Christie provides a humorous, honest look at the complexities of relationships and the sacrifices we make to maintain them. A refreshing read for fans of Rachel Lynn Solomon and Emily Henry.