Three Weddings and a Bar Mitzvah

86 Bloomberg Place #4

by Melody Carlson, Pam Turlow (Narrator)

In this final installment in the 86 Bloomberg Place series, author Melody Carlson follows the four roommates through the high drama of their romantic relationships. Newly engaged Lelani has returned from Maui with her toddler anticipating a simple, beautiful wedding to Gil, but his Latina mama has other ideas—and the willpower to make them happen. Kendall, who accepts her “Maui Man’s” proposal of marriage, finds her wedding plans turned upside down by her absentee parents and cruel sisters, who don’t think she’s capable of making a single smart decision on her own. Marcus takes a trip to Africa, leaving Megan uncertain about the future of their relationship, and Anna risks losing Edmond to a flirty young intern at their office. And to complicate matters, Megan and Anna have just a few months to find a new place to live. With only two months to pull off both weddings (on the same day!), the pressure is on, and the stress just might kill any promise of happily ever after. Are their friendships strong enough to weather the hassles and heartaches?  Insert disc 7 into your PC to access discussion questions plus an author interview!

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

Audio CD

First published August 6, 2009

About the author

Melody Carlson is the award-winning author of over two hundred books, several of them Christmas novellas from Revell, including her much-loved and bestselling book, The Christmas Bus.

She also writes many teen books, including the Diary of a Teenage Girl series, the TrueColors series, and the Carter House Girls series.

Melody was nominated for a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award in the inspirational market for her books, including the Notes from a Spinning Planet series and Finding Alice, which is in production as a Lifetime Television movie. She and her husband serve on the Young Life adult committee in central Oregon.

Reviews

[Andrea Cox · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lelani got the ending she deserved. As my favorite of the series, she was the one I was hoping would get all she hoped and dreamed to get. I was very satisfied with how her story turned out. Once again, her Hawaiian heritage played a role, and I really liked that.

Her mom, on the other hand, was still a big jerk. There was some resolution on this front, but it took absolutely forever to reach!

In the previous book, I didn’t understand Megan’s switch from interior decorating to teaching. The two careers don’t have much in common, so the dreams don’t match up really. In this book, I still didn’t understand how or why she switched to teaching. Other than her odd job switch, I really liked Megan throughout this book.

Anna was fun and entertaining. I liked that there was some family drama with her but that it felt pretty realistic. Some traditions carry down quite strongly in families, and it was neat to see how strongly her relatives felt about certain things.

Okay, so I’m really, really happy with the finale of Kendall’s story. She finally – yes, finally! – came around. She started off the series being a completely rude, stuck-up person and remained that way through two straight books. Honestly, if it were solely based on her, I would never have kept reading this series. But she really came around beautifully in this particular book, and I actually grew to enjoy her scenes. She was – dare I say it? – likeable in this episode of 86 Bloomberg Place.

Content: cross-dressing “joke,” partial expletive phrase, unwed pregnancy (carried over from the previous book)

[Leslie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am one who cannot stop reading a book part-way through...or even a series for that matter. That is the only explanation I have for reading this book. It tied up loose ends in the series, but the first half of the book was slow reading and it didn't pick up much by the end.

This isn't a series that I would recommend as a great read.

[Kelsey · Rating 2 out of 5]

*Spoilers!*




Least favorite of the four. Kendall's magic transformation is a little unbelievable, I love her and love that she has changed but it was so quick and easy. Kiliki and her were terrible, zero chemistry and zero development. I didn't care about him at all. He was too perfect. All the guys were too perfect actually. I do love them, but they weren't flawed like the girls all are.

*Spoiler*
I hated it when Kendall's Nana died, she cried and then said "I...uh...oh...i feel sad" and got up and walked away??? What? She mourned barely at all. I didn't even realize Nana basically raised her until the last chapter, I never felt like Kendall was close to Nana until this book.
Lelani's mom... seriously what. She apologized why? She was at the wedding why? Last we saw her she HATED Lelani, but she's all better now? I do not buy that at all. Was super forced. Not all stories have to have all ends tied with a bow for a perfect happy ending. Families don't always reconcile. Idk man, this book was just bad bad bad

[Kirby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three Weddings and a Bar Mitzvah is the fourth and final book in the 86 Bloomberg Place series, and when I first started reading this series about seven or eight months ago, I honestly didn't think I'd be so sad to see it come to an end. However, that all changed when I finished the third book, Spring Broke, and saw such growth and maturity in these four friends who started out as perfect strangers. And so I saw myself both anticipating, but dreading reading this final book in the series.


All in all, I have to say that Melody Carlson wrote a fantastic conclusion, that really wraps up each girl's story in a way that felt realistic to the reader. I wasn't the biggest fan of Megan's character in any of the previous books, but I felt like in this one she truly learns her lesson when miscommunication almost costs her one of the most important people in her life. Anna was a character that I'd liked on and off through the other books, and I was happy to see her finally come into her own strength in this book, and finally appreciate what's been there in front of her the entire time. Of course to get to this point she has to go through several frustrating experiences that had me wanting to shake her to realize the mistakes she's making, but I was very happy overall with how her story wrapped up. Lelani was probably my favorite right from the start, and I was so happy with how Melody Carlson chose to wrap up her story. There was one particular instance where I was worried she was going to throw all her newfound strength away, but instead she handles herself beautifully, and shows that she's definitely both mature enough and ready to embark on the new journey towards her own happily ever after.

For Miss Kendall, I feel like I could almost write a whole paragraph on her journey alone. While she was definitely the most frustrating of the girls throughout the series as a whole, I feel like she also was the one who went through the most character growth, and really came to be the character I truly cared the most about. In Three Weddings and a Bar Mitzvah, the reader is really shown just how much Kendall has changed and matured since the day she put out the ad trying to find new roommates, and how strong of a person she's become in the process. While I really enjoyed her relatively new romance, I actually enjoyed reading about her special relationship with her grandmother even more, and the way that the other three girls really rally around her when the rest of her family isn't treating her right.

Throughout this series, I've come to really appreciate the way that Melody Carlson wholeheartedly portrays relationships and friendships so realistically, and I'll definitely be sad to say goodbye to this series that ended up surprising me with just how much I enjoyed it. While I'd still say overall that I prefer her Dear Daphnne series a little bit more, this one was definitely an enjoyable read that I will be recommending to others in the future.

Final Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

[Wyndy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The girls at 86 Bloomberg Place have matured into young women now. One has a baby, one has a baby on the way and 2 are career oriented with serious boyfriends. Single women with babies, careers, and weddings often mean mothers and future in-laws in the background with control issues and sure enough these girls have them in spades. The story line works through these mother difficulties,how to pick the important controversies to stick to and what to let go, the death of a loved Nana, and insecurities about the seriousness of boyfriends, love in the workplace in an all together believable fashion. I like how the author has shown that the fathers aren't really as "cowed" by their wives as the daughters believe and show up with considerate support at essential moments. Moving from the single life to a married life is difficult at the best of times and the author has showed how a support system of friends is so important when it comes to figuring out if you are reading the right signals or totally misreading what is going on around you. An all together good read.

[S.T. Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this book as well as I liked the first one! I thought that the first was the best but this final book really delivers! It’s entertaining and really ties up the characters’ stories nicely! Love all the true friendships in this book! I was hoping Megan and Marcus were over. I never liked them together from the beginning and they seemed like a huge mismatch but I predicted that Marcus was going to come home early. I was hoping for Megan and Harrison to have something. Also, I was not a fan of Edmund in this one but ironically I liked Anna a lot better. Being honest, I think Nana was the true superstar in these books and I loved the relationship between Kendall and Nana, it was sweet! Kendall and Kaliki really rushed into the wedding though. We don’t know anything about Kaliki so I found their relationship unrealistic and the fact that they were in love just didn’t seem realistic because they weren’t even together for very long or for most of the book. Despite that, I thought it ended really beautifully with the four former roommates saying goodbye!

[Dubhease · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great ending to the series. Aside from the first book, it was interesting to see how their plots and faith journeys unfolded. I'd love a fifth book, either 5 or 10 years in the future to see how their lives turned out.

[Jessica Wilhoite · Rating 4 out of 5]

So sad to see this series end...wish there was another one on the horizon :)

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favorite book in the series but I nice end to it all.

[Danielle Turko · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Lelani agrees to marry Gil, they decide June is a great time for it to happen. Of course, that only leaves them 2 months to plan but since she wants a simple wedding anyways it shouldn't be too hard. When Kendall also gets engaged, they decide the only feasible option is for Kendall to get married in the morning and Lelani at night, otherwise they won't all be able to attend each other's weddings. When Megan also agrees to go to Marcus' sister's wedding that same weekend, and Anna has Edmond's stepbrother's bar mitzvah as well, the girls know they're in for a busy weekend, but as long as they stick together they should be able to handle whatever is thrown at them.
I admit it wasn't my favourite ending to the series. It felt very rushed, and it left a few unanswered questions for me. It almost felt unsettled, like there's another book after but there isn't

[Virma · Rating 3 out of 5]

This last installment was definitely worth my time. This is a book true to the genre and you can predict the outcome but that the case with this genre so completely expected. This was fun and light and i could not put it down. Sad the series is over. Hopefully the author will give us a few spin offs letting us know how the girls continued on with their lives and the outcome of their decisions. Fingers crossed.

[Mari · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book years ago and have reread it. It’s a busy book with 4 roommates that are in relationships and maybe uncertain of how their lives would mesh. Some of these girls are getting married and have problems with very nasty or extremely domineering mothers. One is marrying someone from Hawaii. Kendall was so close to her grandmother and would take her out of the nursing home to shop, eat & explore. She was the grandchild that inherited grandmother’s home.

[Orefile Tongwane · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book gives you insight on how a girl typically thinks. It shares with you a piece of sisterhood love just simply by reading it. How the characters(female) intertwine with each other is simply beautiful.

[Emily Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yay I absolutely loved this book as the last book I read before I get married! It truly embodied the joy of marriage and the wedding season, and how love truly is the best gift God has given us apart from salvation. This was such a sweet read and I really enjoyed the heart and message behind it!

[Erin Mueller · Rating 3 out of 5]

I stuck with the entire series to see the growth and outcomes for the 4 main characters. Was glad to see the development of character and relationships, fun concept, some parts were annoying or lacking for me, but overall no regrets at listening to the audiobooks during chores.

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

I truly enjoyed this book and the ending! It is a sweet clean romance, with plenty of drama, and even some laughs. Over all I enjoyed the book!

[Nathalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great ending (sniff...) to 86 Bloomberg Place and also a great reminder to communicate with words! No one can read your mind!

[Carolyn Daniels · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun reading

[Nadine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this series. The characters were well developed and I enjoyed following along in their ups and downs of life.

[Amanda Schwind · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good closure to a good series.

[Shannon]

no longer interested

[Carrie Milkanin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Glad to wrap this series up. Enjoyed other books much more. This book deals with death of a loved one, and of course, the three main events. Very slow. Not very interesting.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

See more reviews like this first on my blog

This book was a whirlwind from start to finish. So much ends up happening in this one from almost breakups, miscommunication issues, family disagreements and potential cheating happening. I really ended up liking this book surprisingly. I know I’ve had mixed review for the previous three due to my dislike for certain characters and how certain situations were handled. But I do feel like this one was a good ending to the series.
I don’t want to say too much because I don’t want to give anything away, but yes two of the girls do end up getting married. While I did feel like one of the marriages was rushed and could end up going horribly wrong in the future, I hope it doesn’t because of how much that person has grown and changed throughout the series and I hope they continue to go down the path they are currently going.
One of the girls also stood up for herself in a situation I was worried about happening and that she would just end up caving and letting said person walk all over her again, but with the help of a fellow roommate she was able to stand her ground and do what was right for herself.
The other two girl’s lives were full of major miscommunication and could have been avoided if they would have just talked more with their significant other instead of avoiding the problem. Sadly this is something that happens a lot in real life so I did think it was a good storyline because it showed how important communication is and how certain situations can be avoided.


Overall I do think this is a good series to read if you are a new adult that wants a clean read. Yes I am considering 86 Bloomberg place as new adult even though it was published before new adult became a thing.

[Christy Trever · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three Weddings and a Bar Mitzvah by Melody Carlson is the fourth and final book in the 86 Bloomberg Place series. Lelani and Gil are trying to put their wedding together around the interference of his mother. Kendall's surprise proposal from Killiki inspires her to get married on the same day, which puts all four housemates into a whirl of excitement, especially when you throw in relationship troubles for Anna and Meghan! Carlson has really developed these four young women throughout the course of the series from selfish and immature to generous and faithful. Kendall's growth has been exceptional; in the first couple of books, I could barely read her scenes, but by this volume, I couldn't wait to read more about her. Carlson portrays real friendships and family relationships with all of their ups and downs, insecurities, loyalties, and sacrifices. I'm so glad that I spent time at 86 Bloomberg Place!

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Three Weddings and a Bar Mitzvah is the fourth and last novel in the 86 Bloomberg series by Melody Carlson. Lelani and Kendall begin planning their weddings, with the help of family and friends. Lelani is trying to take of her daughter, Emma, but is reluctant to let her mother in law help her and gets frustrated when she does too much to help. Kendall's family don't think much of her, but her parents come to help her plan (and pay) for her wedding. Anna and Edmond go through a breakup when a new intern falls in love with him. Heartbroken, Anna is left confused and unwilling to open her heart again. Megan's boyfriend, Marcus, goes to Africa, leaving her behind and uncertain of where their relationship is headed. Overall these four women have a lot of relationship and communication issues! I really liked this novel because the women all came through for each other and had finally learned how to love well. I give this series 5/5 for all the books!

[Kristin (Kritters Ramblings) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The last of a series, this book was read to complete the stories of four girls that I had been following for some time. I read the rest of the series before this blog was even a thought on my radar.

A cute and sweet Christian fiction and chick lit read, I enjoyed following these four ladies through all their ups and downs. Although there were definitely some cheesy moments, this book had heart and actually a little bit of drama. I enjoyed that life wasn't all happy sunshines and there was some parental drama, future in law drama and of course boy drama!

As for who I would pass this book along to - most of my women readers would love this little novel, but I would definitely recommend starting at the beginning of the series and enjoy each read.

[Anne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Blah...it's the final book in a series (86 BLOOMBERG PLACE), but it's the only book from the series that I've read. So I'll admit, I didn't have the background stories the book was trying to wrap up. Still, the conclusions we trite and predictable. Neat and tidy. Leilani's final meeting w/her daughter's father was silly--why all the anguish? Her reunion w/her mother was expected for a wedding story. Kendall's "online marriage counseling" was convenient. And the story of Anna and Edmund was an "I Love Lucy," let's-solve-the-problem-without-confronting-it, passive-aggressive disappointment. Really...I thought the young women of the 21st century didn't play games...all-in-all, while I enjoy Melody Carlson's writing, I will not pick up the other three books.

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was definitely not my favorite series of Melody Carlson's. It was okay, but nowhere near as good as her other ones. This last book was kind of cheesy, but I guess the whole series was.

Am I the only one who thinks Kendall's husband is kind of a creeper? Something about him just skeeved me out.

I really thought the title of this meant that all four girls were going to get married, and I'm glad that didn't happen. Megan and Marcus need to work on their relationship a LOT more, and Anna is so annoying. She is definitely my least favorite character!

This series wasn't terrible, but I will more than likely remember nothing about it a year from now.

[Mayda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love is in the air for all the inhabitants of 86 Bloomberg Place. And wedding bells are ringing, but for whom? In this last installment in this Christian chick lit series, the women of this story are coming into their own. Kendall has made the greatest strides in personal development, but all have learned some life lessons. And so have some of the older adults, which disproves that old cliché, “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” This novel neatly completes the saga with a mostly happy and more or less predictable ending, but still is an entertaining and enjoyable story.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this in one night and overall thought it was a good end to the series. I like how the characters matured and seeing their family dynamics and learning to be grown ups and take responsibility for their relationships.

I did think the book was kind of superficial, as the author tried to follow four characters in only 300 pages and each character had some major life stuff going on.

A fun read, though.