The Secret Bridesmaid was a surprise hit for me! It sounded like it could have been a book that was a bit too dramatic for my taste but I ended up really enjoying it and getting surprisingly emotional! If you want a light-hearted read set in the UK that doesn’t get too over the top, this is the book for you.
Star rating: 4 stars
Sophie Breeze is a professional bridesmaid – hired to take the pressure off of the bride without them giving control over to a wedding planner. A successful wedding leads to a former client recommending her to the mother of Lady Cordelia Swann, handing Sophie her biggest job yet. As Emily Taylor, she becomes Cordelia’s only bridesmaid, though Cordelia herself is less than impressed with the idea. Her time as Emily is filled with ridiculous requests, fending off bullies and trying to be a bridesmaid to someone who is just not interested, but can Emily crack Cordelia’s hard exterior to help her have the perfect wedding?
My favourite thing about this book was the dynamic between Sophie and Cordelia. Cordelia has been through a lot – some of it typical rich girl in the limelight stuff which was a bit cliché but I didn’t dislike it. Also the characters felt a bit on the young side for their age of 30ish. The bond between them develops perfectly throughout the book and I really enjoyed all of their interactions, which were part funny, part emotional. I don’t think Cordelia had ever had real friends before so it was kind of sweet to see her realise what that entailed.
The romance between Sophie and Cordelia’s brother Tom was a small part of the book – it was a little bit insta love and could have had more development, but I generally enjoyed it even if Tom only knew her as Emily. Again, predictable, but the kind of smushy that makes me smile.
Overall I actually had a really good time reading this book despite some of the friendship drama and predictable nature. It made me smile in all the right places and I even got a bit emotional. Definitely a good, fast read if you want a pick-me-up with love and humour.
Toastie Books 