The Weekend Before the Wedding

Thank you Harper Collins and NetGalley for the ARC, this review is my personal, unbiased opinion.

Don't read in public, you'll be laughing too much.

When given the chance to read Tracy Bloom's latest novel I jumped at the offer, her books are often thought provoking and filled with her sarcastic sense of humour.

The book opens as Shelley is dressing for her wedding while her mind wanders to her hen party in Spain nearly 20 years ago. She had planned to celebrate with her chosen friends, instead, after accepting the offer of her Aunt's villa in Mallorca, her companions became one overly stressed best friend and four relatives of wildly different ages and temperaments, each seeking entertainment that would suit themselves, 'tho no-one else. Before boarding the plane they start to argue, ending up barely talking to each other. Disasters follow.

Fast paced and hugely entertaining

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this absolutely brilliant book

oh my word a book about a family going on a hen party somewhere in spain.... this is the most funniest poignant book anyone could read

there are many ups and downs on this adventure that the ladies have. there are plenty of one liners that make you laugh out loud and there are times when its nice to reflect

this one keeps you reading and engaged with each character and you begin to realise that they sound like your own family and maybe the hen party from hell will still be laughed at for years to come....

highly recommend this book to everyone, the author keeps you engaged at all times

This book made me laugh, practically the whole way through. What a collection of misfits Shelley and her hen party are. Mad old ladies and a teenager filled with angst among them and then the hen - desperate to ‘get off the shelf’. There are some great characters in this book and they’ll brighten up your day.
I even laughed at the section after the book about how to manage a hen night. Think the author hit that spot on, although, what on earth are ‘penis deeley boppers’?
Another light hearted and fun book from this author. Just loved it.

The Weekend before the Wedding starts with the wedding, a wedding twenty years in the making. You're not given a lot of detail about the circumstances but it's not long before you're back in time to find out exactly what happened. Shelley can't believe her luck when she meets the man of her dreams and he proposes. But how will the events of her hen weekend at her aunt's villa in Spain impact her? It's not your typical weekend do, with Shelley's best friend, mum, aunt and cousin along for the ride! What ensues is a laugh out load roller-coaster, with a whole load of emotion thrown in.

The Weekend before the Wedding is a great read, perfect for the beach (or in the garden!)

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

It’s Shelly's wedding and she is thinking and looking back on the past 20 years when she and her future husband first met.

How, from this day and everything that happened since then to her hen weekend.

The story is written from Shelly's viewpoint, everything that she went witnessed at the hen weekend, the root causes of the family tensions that came out between now, going back years.

The story is a great summer read.

I recommend this book.

Set in 2 different time zones. Shelley goes on her hen weekend to her aunt's villa with an odd collection of people. Jumps between the hen weekend and 20 years later to her wedding day

The majority of this story is set twenty years prior when Shelley, her best friend and certain members of her family go to Spain for her hen do. Being tall like Shelley, I related to to her straight away. It actually had me laughing as it reminded me how on nights out, I was the same as Shelley where the good looking guy would go for my friend and then you got left with their mate who was much smaller and trying to make small talk. Thank goodness my dating days are well and truly behind me 😀

This really was such a fun read. As great as family can be sometimes, you can always guarantee some squabbles and falling out and Shelley’s family is no different. I think what made it funnier is due to the age differences, as there is a big range of ages within the party, most have different ideas of what they want to do on this weekend. Some want early nights and doing some sightseeing where as others want to go drinking and partying all night. I certainly won’t be able to get this group of women out of my head every time a Spice Girls song comes on that’s for sure!

The Weekend Before the Wedding was a highly entertaining, laugh out loud read that is guaranteed to put a smile on your face. It’s a story about the ties and bonds between family and also of rediscovering yourself. I loved this group of women who were all different personality wise and joining them for the highs and lows of the hen party. A light hearted, uplifting read that is a must for your holiday reading list!

Fantastically well written, I was totally immersed into Shelley’s world and her hen do, her family and friends are so like mine, I cringed, laughed and nodded along to so many parts of this weekend! Shelley is so lovely and sweet and you can’t help but want the best for her. I loved the fact the story had a complete ending - there was no wondering, what about… or where are they… all in all a great read that will eventually make you smile

It’s Shelley’s wedding day and whilst she is getting herself ready with her family and friends, she reminisces about how she met her husband to be! The storyline switches between past and present, but mainly focusses on Shelley’s hen weekend in Spain. She was hoping to have a fun filled weekend with her closest friends, but ends up with her best friend Becca, her mother Peggy, her aunt Nancy, cousin Rosalind and Rosalind’s daughter Chloe. None of them really get on and they’re all holding back or hiding problems and personal issues, which look to threaten the frivolity of what should be Shelley’s weekend to remember!

I loved this book! I’ve read a few books by this author already, so knew it would have plenty of humour and be easy to read. I enjoyed the dual timeline aspect but must admit I much preferred the story when it was in the past! In some ways you’ve got to feel a bit sorry for Shelley! She doesn’t see herself as a catch and considers herself lucky to have bagged a husband-to-be like Colin – when Colin really should have been lucky to have her! It was obvious the hen weekend in Spain wasn’t going to go along as planned, and I found myself laughing along with the antics, arguments and drunkenness of the hen party as they trailed around the bars, clubs and restaurants. Of course, it’s not just about what they get up to, it’s more focussed on the reason why they end up doing what they do! At the start of the weekend Shelley receives a text message which could throw the wedding into disarray, and she finds herself needing to look at whether she really wants to get married at all!

I found this book an absolute laugh a minute! There were some more serious topics, but the humour by far outweighed these! I have to admit to shedding a tear or two at the end, which incidentally was a lovely way to finish the book, but also found myself shedding tears of laughter throughout! The images of The Spice Girls will live with me forever, along with Nancy’s mobility scooter speeding through the streets of the beautiful Spanish seaside resort! I loved all the characters (in their own way!) but strangely my favourite was Rosalind, who I think was the one who developed the most over the course of the weekend!! Oh, and I loved Ray as well…so funny! I think I could easily go on about this book for several more paragraphs as I enjoyed it that much, but I wouldn’t want to spoil it for you! Did I enjoy it? – hell, yeah! Would I recommend it? – Without a shadow of a doubt!