Daughters of the Bride: A Novel

I love how Mallery seamlessly melds comedy with emotion, tough decisions with the joys of everyday life. This novel definitely packed an emotional punch, portraying life at its best and at its worst. The setting that Mallery develops is both vibrant and unique, containing aspects that really make it stand out. The cast of characters was definitely quite varied. I love how different the sisters were. Throughout the bulk of the novel I found Sienna to be just plain inconsiderate, caring about no one but herself, regardless of what her job is. She was a typical middle child, x10. On the other hand, I really liked how Rachel had her eyes opened to who she was and how she acts/reacts to others. Her growth was fascinating. Courtney was definitely my favourite character. She’s such a fantastic, vibrant and original individual that I couldn’t help but root for her. And don’t discount the males in the lives of all these females. They’re fantastic but I’ll reveal too much about the story if I delve into it. This novel was filled with emotion of every shape and size, and wraps up in an ending that definitely made me smile. This is definitely a tale well worth reading. Please note that I received a complimentary copy of this work in exchange for an honest review.

Daughters of the Bride by Susan Mallery is a standalone novel about three sisters who are preparing for their mother’s wedding. As their mother’s impending nuptials draw closer each sister is faced romantic with issues of their own. Secrets are revealed and this family is faced with many emotional dynamics over the course of several months. Rachel is the oldest daughter who married her high school sweetheart only to have that dream shattered when he cheated on her. Now divorced with a son, Rachel is struggling just to make ends meet. As the story progresses we find that Rachel is still harboring ill feelings towards her mother and sisters. When the girl’s father died, Rachel was the sister who took on a maternal role with her sisters. As a result, Rachel feels like her childhood was stolen from her and those issues are part of what helped to break down her marriage. When her ex-husband wants to reconcile Rachel has to decide not only if she can forgive her ex-husband but if she can also move on and let go of the past. Sienna is the middle daughter, the ‘pretty one’ that men seem to flock to. With two broken engagements, she finds herself looking for relationships she know will not last. When her latest boyfriend proposes she is stunned and cannot seem to turn him down bust she isn’t sure this is the relationship that she wants to last the test of time. Finally we have the youngest of the daughters, Courtney, and probably the one with the most struggles and secrets. Courtney works at the hotel where her mother’s wedding is being held so she is the one with the most responsibility with planning the wedding. However, her family’s confidence in her ability to plan the wedding in anything but good. While her family still sees her as lacking in her abilities Joyce, her boss and long time friend of the family, sees how capable Courtney really is. When Joyce’s grandson comes into the picture things start to really heat up for Courtney. Courtney by far was my favorite sister. She is so down to earth, easy going and relatable. I enjoyed the book even though a few areas seemed to drag for me. It could get a little confusing at times because the book seemed to jump around some and then each chapter would be from a different perspective but all in all I would recommend this book. I received an eARC of this book compliments of the publisher in exchange for my honest review and opinion. All ratings and opinions stated are my own.

Daughters of the Bride by Susan Mallery....This was an awesome book of three daughters planning their mothers second wedding. This book will hit all emotions, so make sure to have tissues ready you will need them at times. Susan Mallery knows how to write books that hold your attention and you never want it to end. This is one book you do not want to miss, so make sure to pick it up. I was given a complimentary book by publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.