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Cate Padgett #1
Always the Bridesmaid
What do you do after you walk down the aisle in four weddings in a few months-none of them your own? What's left after you've donned the must-have-not dresses of the season, forked over your cash, and fake-smiled your way through countless photos? After you've dealt with the smashed guest, the smooshed cake, the dashed hopes, and the missed bouquets? That's what Cate Padgett is starting to wonder, as she embarks on stint after stint on the sidelines, watching friends swap bar-hopping for baby-naming...while her own love life goes nowhere fast. But is Cate unwilling to settle down-or just unwilling to settle? And can anyone really judge her if they haven't walked in her dyed-to-match shoes? Wild, witty, and full of weddings to cry over, Always the Bridesmaid is an endearingly romantic comedy about standing out in the crowd even when everyone's wearing the same celery-green dress...and daring to make every day The Happiest Day of Your Life.
338 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2004
9 people are currently reading
2291 people want to read
About the author
Whitney Lyles
9 books44 followersWhitney Lyles was twenty-six when she landed her first book deal for Always the Bridesmaid.
She’s now the proud author of a novella and five novels, including her latest romantic comedy for teens -- Party Games. She lives in San Diego with her husband and daughter. She is currently working on her next book.
She’s now the proud author of a novella and five novels, including her latest romantic comedy for teens -- Party Games. She lives in San Diego with her husband and daughter. She is currently working on her next book.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
August 23, 2012
I bought this book after reading the rave reviews it received, but I really wish I would have read the negative reviews a little more closely, which I recommend you do as well. This book did not make me laugh out loud and I had so many issues with the story that I had to constantly complain to my friends. The characters are not developed and behave like they just turned 21 in college. And since I live in San Diego and am about the age of the character I found the plot to be totally unbelieveable and actually wondered if the author had ever been to San Diego, been in a wedding for a person that was truly your friend, or researched being a kindergarten teacher. In addition, the excessive drinking truly bothered me and made me pity the main character more than root for her. If you have any standards I would recommend that you not read this book.
October 10, 2024
2.5 stars rounded down.
Cate is a bridesmaid for four friends in just a few months. She would like to settle down too, but it seems her relationship with her boyfriend, Paul, is going nowhere and she doesn’t know what to do about it. Three of her friends turn out to be real Bridezillas, becoming increasingly demanding, especially Leslie. Cate herself is a hot mess at times, whining, drinking way too much and being incredibly passive about her relationship with Paul, who is pretty much a D-bag. There isn’t a lot of substance to this book or the characters. Most of the characters are a bit flat, but I would say that Jill, Beth and Ethan are the most likable characters, even in their flatness. The writing is mediocre, although I will say there are a couple of genuinely funny parts.
Although the book was written in 2024, it apparently takes place in the 1980s or 90s, so there are trips to Blockbuster, physical road maps, cameras with film and answering machines. Ah, the good old days.
Fortunately, this is a quick read so you don’t have to spend a whole lot of time with it.
Cate is a bridesmaid for four friends in just a few months. She would like to settle down too, but it seems her relationship with her boyfriend, Paul, is going nowhere and she doesn’t know what to do about it. Three of her friends turn out to be real Bridezillas, becoming increasingly demanding, especially Leslie. Cate herself is a hot mess at times, whining, drinking way too much and being incredibly passive about her relationship with Paul, who is pretty much a D-bag. There isn’t a lot of substance to this book or the characters. Most of the characters are a bit flat, but I would say that Jill, Beth and Ethan are the most likable characters, even in their flatness. The writing is mediocre, although I will say there are a couple of genuinely funny parts.
Although the book was written in 2024, it apparently takes place in the 1980s or 90s, so there are trips to Blockbuster, physical road maps, cameras with film and answering machines. Ah, the good old days.
Fortunately, this is a quick read so you don’t have to spend a whole lot of time with it.
September 5, 2017
I wanted to like this book. I needed to like this book. But, I just couldn't, and it's my own fault.
I broke the first rule of reading. I came to this book with an agenda.
I am an avid fan of the movie '27 Dresses'. I have seen it more times than I care to admit, and it remains to this day one of my top five favorite romantic comedies. If any movie was destined to be based off an equally enthralling novel, it was this movie; and I was determined to find it. Scouring the internet, I searched for anything remotely close to story plot I had fell in love with, the only thing coming remotely close was this book.
I doomed this story before even picking it up. The hype I felt watching James Marsden and Katherine Heigl slowing fall for each other to Elton John classics, did not in any way transfer to Cate's chaotic world. I wanted so bad to read a printed version of my favorite love story, that I spoiled a potentially fun and flirty read.
What I do know apart from my self-imposed let down, I did have a difficult time staying engaged and interested in the text. Perhaps the damage was already done, but I did not feel the connection with the characters that was necessary to continue. I felt muddled down by the details of the wedding that I didn't get to know Cate in the time I needed to become interested in her story. Maybe that's the point of the story; that Cate's identity is overshadowed by the demanding details of the weddings she has dedicated herself to. Her friends needs are placed in higher regard than her own that even her potential love interest seems boring compared to the chaos surrounding their reunion.
Maybe I'll revisit this story and give it the shot it deserves, but for now it will join the shelf of the boring, and unfinished.
I broke the first rule of reading. I came to this book with an agenda.
I am an avid fan of the movie '27 Dresses'. I have seen it more times than I care to admit, and it remains to this day one of my top five favorite romantic comedies. If any movie was destined to be based off an equally enthralling novel, it was this movie; and I was determined to find it. Scouring the internet, I searched for anything remotely close to story plot I had fell in love with, the only thing coming remotely close was this book.
I doomed this story before even picking it up. The hype I felt watching James Marsden and Katherine Heigl slowing fall for each other to Elton John classics, did not in any way transfer to Cate's chaotic world. I wanted so bad to read a printed version of my favorite love story, that I spoiled a potentially fun and flirty read.
What I do know apart from my self-imposed let down, I did have a difficult time staying engaged and interested in the text. Perhaps the damage was already done, but I did not feel the connection with the characters that was necessary to continue. I felt muddled down by the details of the wedding that I didn't get to know Cate in the time I needed to become interested in her story. Maybe that's the point of the story; that Cate's identity is overshadowed by the demanding details of the weddings she has dedicated herself to. Her friends needs are placed in higher regard than her own that even her potential love interest seems boring compared to the chaos surrounding their reunion.
Maybe I'll revisit this story and give it the shot it deserves, but for now it will join the shelf of the boring, and unfinished.
August 15, 2018
Het verhaal gaat over Cate, die steeds bruidsmeisje is. Daardoor wordt ze geconfronteerd met haar eigen relatie, die niet zo lekker loopt. Het is een leuk verhaal, maar Kate is wel wat naïef en laat makkelijk over zich heen lopen. Zo protesteert ze bijvoorbeeld niet als ze steeds veel geld moet uitgeven voor de vrijgezellenfeestjes, cadeaus en kleding voor haar rol als bruidsmeisje. Terwijl ze niet veel verdient als kleuterleidster. Dat vind ik jammer, want in sommige situaties was ze juist wel daadkrachtig. Ook vind ik dat ze soms iets te veel medelijden heeft met zichzelf. Toch heb ik verder wel van het verhaal genoten. Het enige waar ik me soms aan stoorde is dat degene die het verhaal voorleest niet zo goed Engels kan. Er worden wat bekende personen in het verhaal genoemd, maar de namen worden vaak verkeerd uitgesproken.
January 14, 2024
Thank God for the occasional one-liners.
April 28, 2023
A bird crapped on this book while I was reading it and I think that about sums it up. Grabbed it for a quick vacation read not realizing how old it was. It did not age well. Either that, or these characters were always vapid and selfish...
May 1, 2011
What do you do after you walk down the aisle in four weddings in a few months-none of them your own? What’s left after you’ve donned the must-have-not dresses of the season, forked over your cash, and fake-smiled your way through countless photos? After you’ve dealt with the smashed guest, the smooshed cake, the dashed hopes, and the missed bouquets? That’s what Cate Padgett is starting to wonder, as she embarks on stint after stint on the sidelines, watching friends swap bar-hopping for baby-naming…while her own love life goes nowhere fast. But is Cate unwilling to settle down-or just unwilling to settle? And can anyone really judge her if they haven’t walked in her dyed-to-match shoes? Wild, witty, and full of weddings to cry over, Always the Bridesmaid is an endearingly romantic comedy about standing out in the crowd even when everyone’s wearing the same celery-green dress…and daring to make every day The Happiest Day of Your Life.
With our Royal Wedding Week fast approaching, I was looking for wedding-themed books to review that we haven’t already reviewed on the site – no point reiterating reviews we’ve already put up and people have already read. It has to be said, there aren’t many left, not well known ones anyway. So I had a look around the Amazon Kindle store and found Always The Bridesmaid by Whitney Lyles. It’s the first of a trilogy (though I only found that out when I was half way through the book) and I started reading it with gusto. To be honest, I wasn’t mightily impressed, and I think I’m suffering from some major wedding fatigue. Three wedding books in a week does not make Leah a happy bunny, let me tell you.
Always The Bridesmaid is the most weddingy of the three wedding books I’ve read as it features a whopping four weddings, none of them Cate’s. Instead, Cate finds herself continually being the bridesmaid for her friends. From her wedding-obsessed friend Leslie to a costumed wedding on Halloween for best friend Beth. I do enjoy a good bridesmaid tale, but I did find Always The Bridesmaid to be very slow-going. I think it probably would have worked better if it had been told from Cate’s point of view, rather than the third-person narrative it has. It just makes it a bit more distant, using third-person, and it’s not as if the tale revolves around anyone bar Cate. It doesn’t switch from person to person, Cate is the central character.
I did enjoy the many different weddings, and I thought it was hilarious when Cate locked one of the bride’s exes in the bathroom at the Church and completely forgot about him. But unfortunately that humour doesn’t carry through the rest of the novel. I thought the relationship Cate had with boyfriend Paul to be incredibly annoying. What does it say when she renames him No Call Paul? And I thought he was super pretentious. Who, apart from a Spanish/South American person, says ‘Hola’ and ‘Adios’ to people? It made him sound like the total idiot he was and I cringed every time he said ‘Hola’ or ‘Adios’. I wanted to batter him, he incited some real violence in me! Their relationship just seemed doomed from the beginning, quite frankly, and I just thought Cate was wasting her time on a total idiot.
I did like Cate, in a general oh-so-you’re-the-main-character way and not in any real likeable way. The narrative just seemed so distant that I couldn’t real get a handle on Cate. I thought the book did start well, but I just didn’t think it kept the pace throughout and I felt myself getting a bit bored as the book got to the middle as nothing was really happening. Cate’s and Paul’s relationships limps on for ages, there are no real wedding dramas, and it just felt as if there needed to be a bit more action. So it might have been the most wedding-y book I read, but unfortunately it wasn’t the best book I’ve read recently and I found myself majorly disappointed with the book. Usually, I’d happily read sequels, but I just don’t see myself picking up the other two novels that feature Cate. It was a fairly quick read, but only because I wanted to get finished, more than any real desire to complete the novel.
With our Royal Wedding Week fast approaching, I was looking for wedding-themed books to review that we haven’t already reviewed on the site – no point reiterating reviews we’ve already put up and people have already read. It has to be said, there aren’t many left, not well known ones anyway. So I had a look around the Amazon Kindle store and found Always The Bridesmaid by Whitney Lyles. It’s the first of a trilogy (though I only found that out when I was half way through the book) and I started reading it with gusto. To be honest, I wasn’t mightily impressed, and I think I’m suffering from some major wedding fatigue. Three wedding books in a week does not make Leah a happy bunny, let me tell you.
Always The Bridesmaid is the most weddingy of the three wedding books I’ve read as it features a whopping four weddings, none of them Cate’s. Instead, Cate finds herself continually being the bridesmaid for her friends. From her wedding-obsessed friend Leslie to a costumed wedding on Halloween for best friend Beth. I do enjoy a good bridesmaid tale, but I did find Always The Bridesmaid to be very slow-going. I think it probably would have worked better if it had been told from Cate’s point of view, rather than the third-person narrative it has. It just makes it a bit more distant, using third-person, and it’s not as if the tale revolves around anyone bar Cate. It doesn’t switch from person to person, Cate is the central character.
I did enjoy the many different weddings, and I thought it was hilarious when Cate locked one of the bride’s exes in the bathroom at the Church and completely forgot about him. But unfortunately that humour doesn’t carry through the rest of the novel. I thought the relationship Cate had with boyfriend Paul to be incredibly annoying. What does it say when she renames him No Call Paul? And I thought he was super pretentious. Who, apart from a Spanish/South American person, says ‘Hola’ and ‘Adios’ to people? It made him sound like the total idiot he was and I cringed every time he said ‘Hola’ or ‘Adios’. I wanted to batter him, he incited some real violence in me! Their relationship just seemed doomed from the beginning, quite frankly, and I just thought Cate was wasting her time on a total idiot.
I did like Cate, in a general oh-so-you’re-the-main-character way and not in any real likeable way. The narrative just seemed so distant that I couldn’t real get a handle on Cate. I thought the book did start well, but I just didn’t think it kept the pace throughout and I felt myself getting a bit bored as the book got to the middle as nothing was really happening. Cate’s and Paul’s relationships limps on for ages, there are no real wedding dramas, and it just felt as if there needed to be a bit more action. So it might have been the most wedding-y book I read, but unfortunately it wasn’t the best book I’ve read recently and I found myself majorly disappointed with the book. Usually, I’d happily read sequels, but I just don’t see myself picking up the other two novels that feature Cate. It was a fairly quick read, but only because I wanted to get finished, more than any real desire to complete the novel.
August 19, 2011
A blurber on the back of this book enthused that she "loved the Jane Austen-ish heroine." Reader, if that tempts you to buying this book, all I can tell you is I've read Jane Austen (even the incomplete novels), I know from Jane Austenesque, and for the life of me I can't see how Lyles' heroine, Cate Padgett, resembles any of them. She certainly isn't sensible like Elinor, talented like Marianne, witty like Lizzie, clever like Emma or level-headed like Anne. Cate is...well, nice, but doesn't stand out to me as a character and struck me as too doormattish for too much of the book. Her best moment is in the very first chapters when she locks up the drunk ex of her about to be married friend. Nor do I see Jane Austen's gentle satire of social convention and pretensions here and to me, anyway, fart jokes, "penis crowns" and strippers with the sobriquet "cheesedick" don't conjure up her wit. Humor is a very subjective, I know, but I never felt the comic scenes and jokes ever came off in this book--and despite the sometimes crudity actually my general impression of the novel was its blandness. I found the plot predictable and the prose pedestrian.
However, all this is probably to treat this novel too harshly. If you love chicklit (which, admittedly, I'm finding I don't), and want and expect a light frothy romance and not literature, this might be a good bet. All and all it's a good-hearted tale with likable characters, and I admit I was charmed by and envious of Beth's Halloween wedding (I'd want one if I got married!) and am tempted to create Jill's breakup compilation. ("Survivor," "Respect," "Rearranging," "No Scrubs," etc.). So yes, I'll admit the story had its moments.
However, all this is probably to treat this novel too harshly. If you love chicklit (which, admittedly, I'm finding I don't), and want and expect a light frothy romance and not literature, this might be a good bet. All and all it's a good-hearted tale with likable characters, and I admit I was charmed by and envious of Beth's Halloween wedding (I'd want one if I got married!) and am tempted to create Jill's breakup compilation. ("Survivor," "Respect," "Rearranging," "No Scrubs," etc.). So yes, I'll admit the story had its moments.
February 5, 2017
It amazes me that this book got published. I was looking for something light to read (after Betrayal, about the Catholic Church) and this is about as light as you can get. The plot's predictable, the laughs few and far between and the writing is atrocious. Some of the phrases the author uses make me wonder if English is her first language. Don't believe me? Here are some examples: "She pointed to a skinny dirt trail encased in avocado trees before trotting off." "Leslie's face was a spread of joy as she lovingly looked at her groom." "Even his bad breath didn't smell bad." "She liked the way . . . his eyes stayed round even when he smiled." And there are so many other misstated idioms and odd choices of words that the writing never flows and is always getting in the way of the story, such as it is. OK, enough. Definitely not recommended.
Read
January 11, 2015This book was so entertaining! It definitely delivers in the rom-com department - it's exactly what you think it is, full of outrageous bridezillas, loyal girlfriends, and many moments that made me laugh out loud. I'm totally stealing the expression "You can go to hell in a handbasket." Also, I love how the author is 26 years old and has been a bridesmaid 5 times! I feel you, girl. I wonder how many of the disasters in the book are based on things that happened at the weddings she was part of. Probably all of them.
June 20, 2017
cate for me wasn't very likeable. she spent the majority of the book whining about her douche of a boyfriend Paul and not noticing her sweet friend Ethan. I didn't mind the drinking, but I hated how cate made a big deal about not having friends to go out with when she never seemed to be lacking a partner for social events.
May 11, 2009
A decent chick lit book; not the most engaging or the best writing but it was interesting enough to keep me reading to the end. I never felt connected to the main character and while her budding "romance" was predictable it could have been more developed.
February 12, 2008
horrible
July 13, 2025
Some of these reviews are absolutely vicious for no reason. Honest opinion: 3.25 stars read. I enjoyed this book but sometimes it felt like it dragged a little bit. But then I realized this was the author’s FIRST novel and honestly, it really isn’t as bad as some people are claiming it to be. Additionally, the last page of the book about the author explains that she herself was 26 at the time of penning this, and I also loved that a lot of the experiences were based on her own memories as a bridesmaid. As someone who has been in that spot, also in her 20s, I completely related to the ridiculous shenanigans.
I imagined the time this came out, mid early 2000s, and this story line makes sense. It has all the classic 2000s romantic comedy vibes surrounding the theme of weddings. If you think about all the movies out at that time, bride wars, the proposal, 27 dresses, my big fat Greek wedding, etc. this book falls perfectly in line with those and their tropes, such as the ridiculous vacation she takes with Paul, the boring boyfriend who is a commitment-o-phobe, being constantly bombarded with questions about her love life and plans for the future, as well as the cute neighbor next door, who is her best friend in the whole world, who she ultimately decides she loves. Yeah checks all the boxes!
The book is broken down into four segments revolving the weddings that Cate will be a bridesmaid in - and it honestly demonstrates the different kinds of people and approaches that are at weddings. You’ve got the scorned ex lover, the drunk uncle / aunt, angry divorced parents still duking out their drama, the bridezilla, and so much more. I loved the bachelorette party in Vegas as well as the moments with Cate as a bridesmaid dealing with the unthinkable for her friends. I cracked up at Leslie’s ridiculous wedding and at Beth’s Halloween themed wedding. Everything about this was cute and relatable.
I honestly thought Cate Padgett was a funny main character. The third person writing style took a while to get used to, but once I did it was fine. I was a little bummed it took soooo long for Cate to realize Ethan was perfect for her, but then I discovered that this is a book series with two more following books. So I’ll be interested to check those out in the future.
I imagined the time this came out, mid early 2000s, and this story line makes sense. It has all the classic 2000s romantic comedy vibes surrounding the theme of weddings. If you think about all the movies out at that time, bride wars, the proposal, 27 dresses, my big fat Greek wedding, etc. this book falls perfectly in line with those and their tropes, such as the ridiculous vacation she takes with Paul, the boring boyfriend who is a commitment-o-phobe, being constantly bombarded with questions about her love life and plans for the future, as well as the cute neighbor next door, who is her best friend in the whole world, who she ultimately decides she loves. Yeah checks all the boxes!
The book is broken down into four segments revolving the weddings that Cate will be a bridesmaid in - and it honestly demonstrates the different kinds of people and approaches that are at weddings. You’ve got the scorned ex lover, the drunk uncle / aunt, angry divorced parents still duking out their drama, the bridezilla, and so much more. I loved the bachelorette party in Vegas as well as the moments with Cate as a bridesmaid dealing with the unthinkable for her friends. I cracked up at Leslie’s ridiculous wedding and at Beth’s Halloween themed wedding. Everything about this was cute and relatable.
I honestly thought Cate Padgett was a funny main character. The third person writing style took a while to get used to, but once I did it was fine. I was a little bummed it took soooo long for Cate to realize Ethan was perfect for her, but then I discovered that this is a book series with two more following books. So I’ll be interested to check those out in the future.
April 14, 2018
The book's divided into 4 parts--one for each of the weddings that Cate is a bridesmaid in. Sarah has a wild bachelorette party while pretending she didn't to her fiance. Val is Cate's cousin. Leslie is the bridezilla who appears to have planned her wedding to the tiniest detail but not thought much beyond that, and Beth has a costume wedding since she gets married on Halloween. Along the way Cate collects three engraved silver mirrors as bridesmaids gifts.
At the beginning of the book, Cate has been dating Paul for about a year. She's puzzled as to why all her friends seem to be getting married while the two of them are still in relationship limbo (as far as Cate is concerned anyway). At Sarah's wedding, Care reconnects with her childhood friend Ethan who hires her to take photos of menu items for his catering business. Their friendship renews--and after Cate and Paul break up, it's clear Ethan wants more, but Cate is worried their easy friendship will suffer if she takes the chance.
I can sympathize with Cate's fears. It is scary to take the step from friendship to a romantic relationship, and in most cases, it does seem hard for the two people to go back to just friendship if it doesn't work out. I think because in most cases one of the two still wants more than friendship. However, the friendship base does seem to be important in a long term relationship, so . . .
At the beginning of the book, Cate has been dating Paul for about a year. She's puzzled as to why all her friends seem to be getting married while the two of them are still in relationship limbo (as far as Cate is concerned anyway). At Sarah's wedding, Care reconnects with her childhood friend Ethan who hires her to take photos of menu items for his catering business. Their friendship renews--and after Cate and Paul break up, it's clear Ethan wants more, but Cate is worried their easy friendship will suffer if she takes the chance.
I can sympathize with Cate's fears. It is scary to take the step from friendship to a romantic relationship, and in most cases, it does seem hard for the two people to go back to just friendship if it doesn't work out. I think because in most cases one of the two still wants more than friendship. However, the friendship base does seem to be important in a long term relationship, so . . .
April 29, 2021
One of my all-time favorite books! I read it at least once a year! I wish Whitney would have it made into an audiobook… It would be so amazing to have this story come to life. Although it does that already in written form. I wish I could’ve given it more than five stars!
April 18, 2022
I enjoyed parts of this book, but most of it was boring and poorly written. The main character is not very likeable and should probably check herself into rehab. She drinks entirely too much and makes incredibly poor decisions.
July 11, 2018
3.7 ish. Cute story, decent enough. Some things could have been left out and not have detracted from the plot. Just overall a cute fluff read. Okay but probably wouldn't read it again.
December 8, 2018
Really a 2.5
May 3, 2019
I couldn't finish. The author was trying too hard to be funny and the writing was amateur. Please dont even bother.
January 16, 2020
I feel that the weddings in this story were just a MacGuffin to showcase Cate's relationships with men. The humor was dry, which I enjoyed, but this book wasn't romantic or sweet.
March 1, 2021
Super cute, and very on point for life as a single woman in the early 2000's!
April 8, 2021
a lot of telling, not showing, really flat characters, just was really bored so DNF
October 29, 2024
3.5 for entertainment! Funny, quick, and light. Just what I needed!
March 6, 2022
Awesome book!! Fast read. Can't wait to read the next book!!
October 29, 2010
I love chick lit. Love it. If it was a guy, I'd marry it, which is appropriate since this book deals with a girl who is always roped into being a bridesmaid at her friends' weddings.
The plotline follows Cate, a young elementary school teacher who is constantly being asked to play the role of bridesmaid for her friends. Her closet is somewhat full of ugly dresses that are absolutely fashion DON'TS rather than fashion dos. Her boyfriend Paul is never there, stating his job as the reason for his increasingly infrequent phone calls & visits. So it's no wonder that Cate is getting rather sick of weddings & all of the trouble that comes with it. Then she runs into her old friend Ethan, a guy who was formerly an awkward teen but has since become a handsome man & begins to wonder if she doesn't deserve a little more than what she has right now.
Despite enjoying this book, there was one thought that ran predominantly through my head. This book is incredibly similar to the film '27 Dresses', so much so that I actually had to go back to see if this book was inspired by the movie. (It wasn't- this book came out first.) Even so, this book doesn't have a whole lot of new material to cover that hasn't been done in one fashion or another in other chick lit books.
But it's such a fun read! I have to admit, it's not hard to put myself in Cate's shoes, especially when she's so confused. Who hasn't been in a similar situation as she has, wondering if your boyfriend is truly the right one for you? Readers familiar with the genre will be able to predict the outcome, but that doesn't make the trip any less enjoyable. I just would've liked for there to have been a bit more with the big fancy wedding of Cate's friend Leslie, at least where Leslie's step-mother is involved. With there being so much petty animosity directed from Leslie's mom to the step-mom, I just really kept expecting Cate to tell the mom where she could get off. (Seriously, the woman was a harpy- I kept hoping someone would belt her one.)
If you are expecting something new to be brought to the table, you'll be disappointed. There's really not anything that new here. But like I said, that doesn't mean that this book is bad. This is pretty much the perfect thing to give that bride to be (or her bridesmaids) before the wedding or to curl up with to while away a few hours. It's not going to be the next `Shopaholic', but it's certainly a darn sight better than some of it's contemporaries in the field.
The plotline follows Cate, a young elementary school teacher who is constantly being asked to play the role of bridesmaid for her friends. Her closet is somewhat full of ugly dresses that are absolutely fashion DON'TS rather than fashion dos. Her boyfriend Paul is never there, stating his job as the reason for his increasingly infrequent phone calls & visits. So it's no wonder that Cate is getting rather sick of weddings & all of the trouble that comes with it. Then she runs into her old friend Ethan, a guy who was formerly an awkward teen but has since become a handsome man & begins to wonder if she doesn't deserve a little more than what she has right now.
Despite enjoying this book, there was one thought that ran predominantly through my head. This book is incredibly similar to the film '27 Dresses', so much so that I actually had to go back to see if this book was inspired by the movie. (It wasn't- this book came out first.) Even so, this book doesn't have a whole lot of new material to cover that hasn't been done in one fashion or another in other chick lit books.
But it's such a fun read! I have to admit, it's not hard to put myself in Cate's shoes, especially when she's so confused. Who hasn't been in a similar situation as she has, wondering if your boyfriend is truly the right one for you? Readers familiar with the genre will be able to predict the outcome, but that doesn't make the trip any less enjoyable. I just would've liked for there to have been a bit more with the big fancy wedding of Cate's friend Leslie, at least where Leslie's step-mother is involved. With there being so much petty animosity directed from Leslie's mom to the step-mom, I just really kept expecting Cate to tell the mom where she could get off. (Seriously, the woman was a harpy- I kept hoping someone would belt her one.)
If you are expecting something new to be brought to the table, you'll be disappointed. There's really not anything that new here. But like I said, that doesn't mean that this book is bad. This is pretty much the perfect thing to give that bride to be (or her bridesmaids) before the wedding or to curl up with to while away a few hours. It's not going to be the next `Shopaholic', but it's certainly a darn sight better than some of it's contemporaries in the field.
September 12, 2011
Every time I watch a chick flick that is based on a book I think to myself, when will they stop ruining perfectly good books and giving us such emotional cliched plots? Reading this book, I felt like I was watching a chick flick.
It was a trifle disappointing to find that out, it wasn't a bad book though. Not at all, I just didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would. I found the plot redundant and Cate didn't really shine out as a strong character to me or someone I'd actually care about. Both Cate and Paul.
There were some great characters in the book however. Jill for one, that girl was something. I was always eager to read whatever Jill did/said/looked/reacted. Ethan was another, who can't help but love such a goodhearted, caring guy? There were some interesting scenes in the book, Beth's wedding for one, I found Leslie's emails amusing and also all the dress fittings and ugly garments she imposed on her bridesmaid. The horrors! I was actually thanking the Lord that things are different in my country. The bridesmaid here are free to chose their own dresses.
Coming back to Cate. I don't know what was up with that girl seriously. The opening scenes had me intrigued [when we got to see a bitchy side in Cate as she locked the drunken ex boyfriend in the restrooms] and then she comes back to let him out, guilt ridden and feeling for him. She presented an interesting character but soon gave way to the dull Cate who had problems with Paul that we had to tolerate throughout the rest of the book.
Don't even get me started on Paul. The book tried telling me He was handsome, he was smart. He was caring when he wanted to be. He was interesting and definitely marriage material.... I didn't feel that AT ALL. Paul was definitely the most boring, dull, shallow guy ever. I feel sorry for him actually. The author really didn't like him I suppose. Well, neither did I.
The book was very predictable but then I suppose it's because I've watched way too many chick flicks to know how the plot usually goes about. It's either your best friend, long lost child hood friend, your next door neighbor, any other person who's invisible to you before you break up with the jerk of a guy you thought cared for you. Pretty simple. I have to admit I skipped a lot of pages and towards the end I just wanted to finish the book.
I'd give it a 2.5
It was a trifle disappointing to find that out, it wasn't a bad book though. Not at all, I just didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would. I found the plot redundant and Cate didn't really shine out as a strong character to me or someone I'd actually care about. Both Cate and Paul.
There were some great characters in the book however. Jill for one, that girl was something. I was always eager to read whatever Jill did/said/looked/reacted. Ethan was another, who can't help but love such a goodhearted, caring guy? There were some interesting scenes in the book, Beth's wedding for one, I found Leslie's emails amusing and also all the dress fittings and ugly garments she imposed on her bridesmaid. The horrors! I was actually thanking the Lord that things are different in my country. The bridesmaid here are free to chose their own dresses.
Coming back to Cate. I don't know what was up with that girl seriously. The opening scenes had me intrigued [when we got to see a bitchy side in Cate as she locked the drunken ex boyfriend in the restrooms] and then she comes back to let him out, guilt ridden and feeling for him. She presented an interesting character but soon gave way to the dull Cate who had problems with Paul that we had to tolerate throughout the rest of the book.
Don't even get me started on Paul. The book tried telling me He was handsome, he was smart. He was caring when he wanted to be. He was interesting and definitely marriage material.... I didn't feel that AT ALL. Paul was definitely the most boring, dull, shallow guy ever. I feel sorry for him actually. The author really didn't like him I suppose. Well, neither did I.
The book was very predictable but then I suppose it's because I've watched way too many chick flicks to know how the plot usually goes about. It's either your best friend, long lost child hood friend, your next door neighbor, any other person who's invisible to you before you break up with the jerk of a guy you thought cared for you. Pretty simple. I have to admit I skipped a lot of pages and towards the end I just wanted to finish the book.
I'd give it a 2.5
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 17, 2013
First off, this book was different. Most chicklits I've read feature a female protagonist who is a model, a journalist, a photo journalist, rich, a celebrity or becomes one of those things through the course of the book OR the male protagonist is either rich, a celebrity, an attorney, a journalist or something along those lines.
This book - and this is important, so I want to say this upfront - features characters in much more normal jobs. Kudos and bonus points to the author for that.
On to the book.
I liked Cate, though I found her a wimp at times - I did want to smack her for not telling her "friend" Leslie to go to hell over her requirements to be in her wedding. Most chicklit characters from books I've read tend to be more like cartoons than characters I can relate to. I thought the author here did a much better job as Cate was a kindergarten teacher and that was really worked into the story - even though I've never heard of teachers doing home visits at my kids' schools, I did like that her job was worked in, not just mentioned.
And when I came across Ethan for the first time, it was obvious who he'd turn out to be, but I thought - finally! A so-called "beta" male romantic lead! I've waited for this for a long time. I'm so sick of so-called alpha males in romantic fiction. Thank you, Ms. Lyles, for being brave enough to break through that barrier. Never mind that I really liked Ethan. I also liked that he and Cate had been friends. That's another thing not often shown in romantic fiction: how important the friend aspect of the relationship truly is.
Aside from that, I enjoyed how the weddings were woven in - and the ridiculous-ness of most of them. Funny. I enjoyed the bit about Claude at the beginning, especially since I wound up feeling so sorry for him when Cate talked to him later on.
Good romance here, strong character development. I did want to hit Cate over the head towards the end, and I did think her change of heart came a touch too quickly, though I got her train of thought.
Looking forward to more books from this author.
This book - and this is important, so I want to say this upfront - features characters in much more normal jobs. Kudos and bonus points to the author for that.
On to the book.
I liked Cate, though I found her a wimp at times - I did want to smack her for not telling her "friend" Leslie to go to hell over her requirements to be in her wedding. Most chicklit characters from books I've read tend to be more like cartoons than characters I can relate to. I thought the author here did a much better job as Cate was a kindergarten teacher and that was really worked into the story - even though I've never heard of teachers doing home visits at my kids' schools, I did like that her job was worked in, not just mentioned.
And when I came across Ethan for the first time, it was obvious who he'd turn out to be, but I thought - finally! A so-called "beta" male romantic lead! I've waited for this for a long time. I'm so sick of so-called alpha males in romantic fiction. Thank you, Ms. Lyles, for being brave enough to break through that barrier. Never mind that I really liked Ethan. I also liked that he and Cate had been friends. That's another thing not often shown in romantic fiction: how important the friend aspect of the relationship truly is.
Aside from that, I enjoyed how the weddings were woven in - and the ridiculous-ness of most of them. Funny. I enjoyed the bit about Claude at the beginning, especially since I wound up feeling so sorry for him when Cate talked to him later on.
Good romance here, strong character development. I did want to hit Cate over the head towards the end, and I did think her change of heart came a touch too quickly, though I got her train of thought.
Looking forward to more books from this author.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 21, 2017
One of the best chick lit writers. From start to finish, I never put it down. Characters really come to life and they are filled with such warmth
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