Didn't end up as I'd expected it. I liked the idea of it- the airing of grievances of perpetual 'always a bridesmaid' people? Yes, please- but it wasn't organized very well, and was all over the place. There were a lot of side stories that took some of the focus away from the main storyline, and that left me feeling scattered. Thanks NetGalley for the ARC.

This book was not what I expected. It was a great storyline, but I did not enjoy it as much as I thought I would.

Iris Hagarty is a single mom and bridesmaid professional, or so it would seem so with as many times as she has played the part. Frustrated with the reactions of brides she has been a bridesmaid for, she takes to Facebook for an outlet. Unfortunately, as the way of the world, it was not a good idea and things blew up in her face. Will she recover from the fall out?

First off, I would like to say the story line itself was a good one, but I found that the author put too much political stuff in it. The political stuff did not fit into the storyline for me. I felt it was misplaced and took away from the actual characters and their true story.

Second, I felt like Iris was a bit of a push over throughout most of the book. People were constantly running her over and taking advantage of her. Her character made some terrible decisions throughout the whole book and I did not agree with her grudges she held against her sister, then again, I found her sister to be self-centered, superficial, vain and inconsiderate. The other characters in the book were just as bad. The only character I really loved was Rose. She was so level headed and welcoming, yet reserved and calm.

Overall, the book had a good plot and the delivery was spot on. The author did a good job creating the characters and there was plenty of depth and creativity when writing their stories. I enjoyed most of the book, except the political side of it. It was a very interesting storyline and I was happy with the outcome. There were some times I got extremely frustrated with Iris’s character and how she is blind to a lot of things. Especially when it came to her own son.

I have to give this book three stars because of the political aspects and enjoyment of the book.

i flew through this, but the ending was so bleak. the main character is fairy unlikable, but everyone in her life was AWFUL. The storyline seemed to be all about forgiveness but forgiving evangelical bigots for being terrible and then moving to Florida is just really not the vibe.

Funny and twisty read -- I especially liked the use of social media and thought it was pulled off. Characters equal parts infuriating and likable and genuine. Lots of acerbic ribbing of social media and influencer culture as well as wedding culture.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC! I was drawn to this book because of the premise. A woman who is always a bridesmaid creating a group to vent about bridezillas? Family drama? Count me in! However, I thought the story was poorly executed. The plot focused a bit too much on how the main character disapproved of her family's political affiliation. She also was made to feel bad for everything. I almost did not finish the book, but I kept hoping it would have a nice ending. I was disappointed by the ending. I would not recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced copy for review. All opinions are my own.

I was pleasantly surprised by this one. I was slow to get into it, but once I did I couldn't put it down. The drama unfolds and you just can't stop reading.

Iris has been a bridesmaid at many weddings and she has no outlet to release her frustrations with the brides. She has the idea to create a private group where others can join in and commiserate. Is this a good idea or a completely insane one?

I wasn't the biggest fan of Iris in the beginning. She makes some choices that I'm not sure that I would and she will not speak her mind. It's frustrating! I just wanted her to stop holding everything in.

Her family is terrible. Except Rose. Rose is great, but the rest of them are just awful! I wouldn't be able to handle all of that like Iris did. Oof.

Even with all of that, this one ended up being really good. Some wild twists and turns, but tied up in the end.

Cute story. I enjoyed the main characters arc and growth as she learned to fully appreciate herself. .

felt a little scattered and incomplete.

I loved some elements about this book, particularly the heroine finding her voice, yet I honestly found the way most of it is told was a bit of a slog to get through. I don't even know for sure if it was the constant downer reminder of the state of politics or just me not being a fan of Vatner's writing style, I just know that it was not a story that I particularly enjoyed following. Leading lady Iris is definitely an interesting character and the situations she finds herself in are also definitely interesting, there's just a missing spark in the telling of those interesting elements that I could never quite connect to.
It's definitely not a romance, but it's not a serious drama either. I honestly can't decide what I'd categorize it as because it has elements of both without fully committing to either. It's not a bad book and I don't regret reading it, it's just not one I would go out of my way to recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the read!