Oh how I loved reading The Secret Bridesmaid, this was a pure delight and a great escape for me. I truly looked forward to getting into bed and snuggling up to read this one. If you're after a good chic lit, funny scenes and romance, then I would highly recommend checking this one out.

The Secret Bridesmaid introduces us to Sophie, a professional bridesmaid. Sounds strange doesn't it, but after reading the book I can certainly see the appeal. She is hired by bridesmaids under the premise that they already know her, to help plan their weddings and ensure that everything runs smoothly. Sophie loves her job, it is quite clear to see that given her dedication to her clients, I mean, who else would agree to dressing up as bridesmaid Chewbacca! That is of course until she meets Bridezilla Cordelia, a member of the aristocracy, who, after several antics in an attempt to put Sophie off the job, turns out to not be all that bad after all.

The friendship that builds up between Sophie and Cordelia over time is truly lovely, I really enjoyed this development throughout the book; it made me smile and think 'awww'. Likewise, the relationship between Sophie and Tom is rather cute, although this is not the main focus of the book. I do think it finishes in the ideal place, leaving the reader to create their own events afterwards or indeed leaving it open for a second book.

Overall, this really was more than I was expecting, I love being surprised by a read and this one certainly did that.

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<p>This is a hilarious, laugh out loud novel which should not be missed. There are so many moments in this book which are relatable for the reader.</p>
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<p>I cannot say anything negative about this book. This is funny, smart, addictive and completely unputdownable.</p>
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<p>This is a delightful and unique read which I have devoured in one sitting. I love Sophie, her role as a professional bridesmaid has been a interesting one.</p>
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<p>Friendship and loyalty are key themes within this novel. This is definitely the perfect escape novel and one guaranteed to leave a smile on your face.</p>
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<p>The pages are filled with humour and heartbreak, with many laughs along the way. I am 100% converted as a fan of this author. This has been one of my most anticipated reads which I have devoured in just one sitting.</p>
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<p>A definite five star read which I absolutely recommend.</p>
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As a fan of chicklit I loved this! My favourites are multi-dimensional storylines with a smattering of romance alongside strong friendships, family bonds or community spirit and/or a creative job or small business. And, this was exactly that - a fun story based around Sophie's unusual job as a professional bridesmaid, creating the basis for an unlikely friendship and little romance too. A nice touch - and some of the funniest bits - were the email and text exchanges between Sophie and her brides detailing their crazy demands such as dying her hair to match the other bridesmaids. Sophie was a very likeable character supported by a cast of equally likeable supporting characters.

Such 27 dresses vibes which is one of my favourite films so I knew this would be right up my street. A clever premise, witty and funny anecdotes about our protagonist, Sophies, life as a professional bridesmaid and super lighthearted, loveable characters and plot. I loved that the romance element wasn't massive in this book and it was all about sophie doing what she loves best, but we still saw her love interest at the same time. It was done really well and whilst it didn't blow me away, it was an easy and good chick-lit book for cosy rainy evenings!

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for approving this book for me

The concept of this book is very interesting and it kept me gripped from start to finish which I thoroughly enjoyed! This book sent me through a mixture of emotions and it let me imagine what this would be like in real life as many people do this for a job.

The characters were all amazing and made it so hard for me to put the book down.

I really enjoyed this story! It was light and fun, flirty and thoroughly enjoyable from the second I picked it up.

Sophie is a professional bridesmaid who assists brides with any wedding related tasks they have which can include learning to make the sound of a wookie, last minute porta loo issues, correcting the wording on hen party T-shirt’s to traipsing across the country in search of truffle oil. There are a number of little funny email snippets outlining the correspondence with some of the suppliers she deals with.

Sophie has the opportunity of a lifetime to assist with Lady Cordelia Swann’s wedding. Cordelia is not the type to make friends and makes the task pretty horrific for Sophie who has assumed the name Emily to protect her identity. From Swan whispering to writing to the Queen to borrow a tiara, Cordelia is set on making Sophie quit. Sophie is determined not to quit and Lord Tom and his lovely arms are a good incentive to stick around! Sophie manages to make a few good decisions which impress Cordelia and slowly a friendship starts to form. Sophie and Cordelia are good for each other and push each other to be better resulting in Sophie getting out of her comfort zone and Cordelia learning to trust and let people in again.

It’s not all straightforward and there are a number of bumps in the road before the HEA including a dunk in a pond, a dinner at the ex besties house and the florist of choice refusing to work with the couple.

The situations are peppered with laugh out loud situations and convey a true sense of what friendship and loyalty is about. A great clean chick lit!

I received an Arc of this book via Net Galley and this is my honest opinion. This was my first book by Katie Birchall and I will definitely look out for more. This book is due for release on 4 May 2021.

#NetGalley #TheSecretBridesmaid

Laugh out loud funny! This is a warm, easy, entertaining read that’s just a little bit different. I loved the characters and how their relationships developed. A fab read for summer.

Loved this book! Sped through it within an afternoon, laughing out loud the whole time, definitely worth a read!

Absolutely loved reading The Secret Bridesmaid by @katybirchallauthor (many thanks to @netgalley!).
This romcom is lighthearted, fast paced, very funny - and dotted throughout with social media and email messages that had me choking with laughter. The characters are deftly drawn and empathetic and it is a lovely, enjoyable escape from the exigences of 2021 life. If you want to pour yourself a G&T, put your feet up and have a genuine laugh, then you need to buy this book. It’s due to be published on 13th May 2021. ❤️👍📚


(@njb1966 on Instagram)

Watch out there’s a bridezilla (or two!) about in this outrageously over the top romantic comedy in which wedding season is at fever pitch. Katy Birchall delivers a novel of non stop fabulous, frivolous fun full of witty repartee, gloriously silly wedding preparation anecdotes and characters that either make your heart melt or turn to stone. Tantrums and tiaras are flying as Sophie Breeze aka the secret bridesmaid meets her most awkward customer to date!

Sophie might not be lucky in love herself but she is THE PERFECT secret bridesmaid. Just her name is enough to convince any anxious bride to wave goodbye to those wedding day jitters, knowing full well she has their best interests at heart. This goody two shoes is no rule breaker but Sophie’s hit the jackpot with her unusual business combining perfect wedding planning with befriending the bride to be, whilst keeping her true identity under wraps. No challenge is too big (so long as it’s not a personal one) for someone as experienced as Sophie in managing her clients expectations. With an arsenal of tricks up her sleeve Sophie’s only goal is to ensure her blushing brides have a wedding day to remember. Used to accommodating every wish under the sun, however ridiculous the demands may prove to be, this woman is the wedding day equivalent of a fairy godmother. But she’s going to require plenty of oomph in her magic wand if she’s to pull off her latest assignment successfully.

Much to Sophie’s astonishment and delight Marchioness Meade has employed the secret bridesmaid services on behalf of her daughter Lady Cordelia Swann, who from the start is aghast at having to entertain such a preposterous notion. Rude, obnoxious and hostile, Cordelia wastes no time in making Sophie’s task a nightmare, using every underhand means possible to provoke Sophie into quitting her role. But it’s going to take more than ideas of swan whispering or ludicrous visions of persuading the band Oasis to reform to put Sophie off her stride. Even bringing the wedding date forward to add further stress to this ‘mission impossible’ fails to deter our professional bridesmaid from the job in hand; she deserves an Olympic gold medal for perseverance alone! Just the mere sight of Cordelia’s brother Lord Tom Dashwell is enough to set Sophie’s heart a flutter, put the twinkle back in her eyes,and enjoy a frisson of sexual tension that’s been missing from her life up until now , pretty much the only perk of the job. The prospect of romance, even if it remains a figment of her wildest dreams is incentive enough to spur Sophie on in her determination to win Lady Cordelia round to accepting that Sophie is here to stay; at least until the bride and groom have exchanged their vows.

In a storyline that’s as much focused on friendship as it is about the pitfalls and bonuses of wedding preparations, Katy Birchall’s writing glitters and sparkles like a diamond encrusted tiara, its sheer exuberance is simply infectious and Sophie’s character is the icing on top of the (wedding) cake. She may personally have retired early from the dating scene, thanks to her ex Daniel and her reluctance to step outside of her comfort zone may lead others to believe she’s boring but in my eyes Sophie is dynamic, upbeat, professional, feisty and definitely game for a laugh. I adored her! In what becomes a veritable battle of wills Cordelia’s character contrasts wonderfully with Sophie’s so the reader has plenty of fun anticipating her next moves in a continued bid to outsmart her pretend best friend. I loved her for her mischievousness and her wickedly naughty antics which had me grinning from ear to ear. With these characters, the author has conjured up two worthy opponents whose entertainment value is off the scale. She proves that with a healthy dose of kindness, goodwill and faith even the toughest nuts to crack deserve a second chance to show their true selves. Despite Cordelia’s outward tough exterior and the fact her and Sophie share little in common, these characters have much to learn from each other so expect a few surprises along the rocky road to marital bliss! In fact every character deserves a round of applause with Katy Birchall inventing her own version of the good, the bad and the ugly. You can decide who fits into these categories the best!

Aside from the main event some of my favourite moments include the emails that bounce back and forth between Sophie and her suppliers. Completely daft, verging on bonkers, if you needed any further evidence that the wedding industry colludes with would be brides and their loss of sanity following a proposal this is it!! Brilliant, hilarious and so so so entertaining every one of Sophie’s clients displays some level of madness when it comes to imagining the best day of their lives but Sophie, a consummate professional simply goes with the flow, even if that means donning a Chewbacca costume!

There might be no big mystery to this storyline but it is GENUINELY laugh out loud funny. With Cordelia’s brother Lord Tom Dashwell adding a smattering of romance to spice up Sophie’s life this is one of the best romantic comedies I’ve had the pleasure of reading in a while. Laughter is contagious so if you’re looking for a temporary distraction from life’s woes Katy Birchall’s novel offers the perfect escape route. Take a leap of faith (rather than a sky dive!) say “I do” to finding friendship and maybe love in unexpected quarters and grab yourself a copy today! My thanks as always to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read.

This is not really my usual sort of book, so I was surprised to enjoy it as much as I did!
Sophie Breeze is a professional bridesmaid for hire. She's not a wedding planner because she works much closer with the bride to be – a sort of best friend, wedding planner & PA rolled into one. She’s very discreet & often the bride is the only one who knows that Sophie isn’t really the old uni friend who has been living in Guatemala for 5 years or the cousin who just lives so far away but *has* to be included in the wedding!
When the mother of a previous client arranges a meeting between Sophie & a friend, Sophie finds herself face to face with a Marchioness & encountering the biggest challenge of her career! Not only is this a very high profile wedding but the bride is not at all happy that her mother has hired Sophie & is determined to make things as difficult as possible so that Sophie will quit. Unfortunately for Cordelia, Sophie is not a quitter!

Overall: this is an easy read – it has Sophie Kinsella vibes yet its somehow slightly less cheesy and stereotypical. There are moments of pure humour & I liked the various ways Sophie attempts to outsmart her difficult bride!

Disclosure: I received an advance reader copy of this book free via NetGalley. Whilst thanks go to the publisher for the opportunity to read it, all opinions are my own.

This book tells the story of Sophie who is a professional bridesmaid. Rather than hire a wedding organiser people hire Sophie to help the bride get the wedding they want and on the day she is a bridesmaid to make sure the day runs smoothly.

Her latest client is a member of the aristocracy and hires her for her daughter’s wedding. Her daughter however is far from delighted with the prospect as she feels her Mum is buying her a friend and sets out to make Sophie’s job so difficult that she will quit. She sets her unreasonable tasks, treats her badly but Sophie keeps going determined not to let her win. She also meets the bride’s brother who she rather fancies but must keep it professional and keep up the pretence of who she really is.

Lots of funny little stories from other brides she has to deal with along with this one and it is a funny book.

Will the wedding go ahead with or without the bridesmaid, will she get her man?

The Secret Bridesmaid by Katy Birchall Pub Date 13/5/21
Sophie Breeze is a brilliant bridesmaid. So brilliant that she's made it her full-time job.
As a professional bridesmaid, Sophie is secretly hired by brides to be their right-hand woman, ensuring their big day goes off without a hitch. From rowdy hen dos to navigating last-minute portaloo cancellations, there's no problem she can't solve.
So when a Marchioness employs her to help plan the society wedding of the year, it should be a chance for Sophie to prove just how talented she is.
Of course, it's not ideal that the bride, Cordelia, is rude, difficult and determined to make Sophie's life a nightmare. It's also a bit inconvenient when Sophie finds herself drawn to Cordelia's posh older brother, who is off-limits. And when a rival society wedding is announced, things get even more complicated . . .
Can Sophie pull off the biggest challenge of her career, follow her heart and maintain her reputation - all while keeping her true identity hidden?
A well-written, easy-going, entertaining story, full of passion, turmoil and humour.
I really enjoyed reading this, and I am happy to recommend it.
I want to thank NetGalley, Hodder & Stoughton and author Katy Birchall for a pre-publication to review.

One might be forgiven for thinking that a job as a professional bridesmaid would be really enjoyable.......... full of happy couples and fun days. This was not the case for Sophie and the way she managed to navigate through some truly difficult times made compulsive reading. I thoroughly recommend this book.

Title: The Secret Bridesmaid
Author: Katy Birchall
Hero/Heroine: Tom and Sophie
Trope: Best Friends Brother

THE GOOD 😁

The whole book. This was such a feel good story with a great mix of characters, there was not one point of the book where I felt bored or wanted to skim. Sophie, a professional bridesmaid (yeah I know, I had no idea that this was a thing) spends her days helping stressed brides plan their perfect day, and basically just being a support system for them. When she’s approached by Lady Meade, a member of the British aristocracy, to help with her daughters wedding, Sophie sees this as a great way to get her business on the map. Little does she know this will be one of the biggest challenges of her career.
I adored Sophie; so eager to make people happy and ensure that the brides she helps have the day they dreamed of, she was just an all round lovely character. When she comes up against Lady Cordelia and her dismissive attitude, she remains a professional, even though she’s tempted to tell her to do one.
Along with this, Sophie finds herself attracted to Cordelia’s adorably goofy brother Tom, which makes for an awkward situation as she’s pretending to be a friend of Cordelia’s to cover up the fact that she’s a professional bridesmaid.
Feel good and hilarious (the emails/messages/phone calls between Sophie and other brides she was working for were hilarious, especially when she’s asked to dress as Chewbacca for one wedding), The Secret Bridesmaid was an absolute delight from beginning to end. Will definitely be buying this in paperback to add to my collection.

THE BAD ☹️

Annabel. That is all.

OVERALL THOUGHTS: A feel good and hilarious story with a fabulous cast of characters
STEAM LEVEL: N/A
STAR RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A very easy to read, pleasant story that had a nice friendship moral.
The characters were well written, turning previously disliked people to favourites.
The background was lighthearted and occasionally funny and the novel was original and stood out from the genre.

I want to hire Sophie to be my secret bridesmaid! Unbelievably patient and nice, she sorts out the worst of the bridezillas with some lovely creative ideas. The big society wedding is her biggest challenge, especially when the bride's brother seems to be taking an interest

I really enjoyed this novel. To begin with I didn’t think the writing style was my cup of tea, but then I really started to enjoy the banter between Emily and Cordelia and the book moved up a level for me and I was totally invested in the story and rooting for Sophie. Really funny laugh out loud moments and a great ending.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read a preview copy of this book.

I have to say at the beginning of the book, I wasn't sure if it was for me. But I kept reading and got so sucked in, absolutely loved it! Emily/Sophie was such a lovable character and I was really rooting for her to achieve everything she wanted to. Cordelia definitely also started to open up to us and I ended up really liking her towards the end. And let's not even mention the 'hot brother'. Omg what Mr. Dreamy

Sophie is a professional bridesmaid. She is employed to look after the bride in the run up to and during the big day. She is good at her job although it is a secret from most of her family and friends.
So when she is asked to be the bridesmaid of a real life Marchioness and plan the wedding of all weddings shr jumps at the chance. Only problem is the bride is a nightmare and her ex best friend decides to get married on the same day.
And then there is the small matter of a crush on the Bride's brother.
Will it all go to plan and will Sophie get through it in one piece?