Review: There Goes the Bride

Summary: Happily ever after isn’t always what you expect…
 
Polly Atkins, a Londoner living in New York City, is headed back across the pond for her wedding, a grand affair that has her older sister, Bella, in a whirlwind of excitement. Bella can’t wait to take over the wedding plans—and neither can Polly’s best friend, Grace, whose life as a wife, housekeeper, and mother is making her feel older than her twenty-eight years. She’s desperate to see Polly settle down in the same city—and the same life. 

The only one who isn’t bursting with enthusiasm is Polly. Which is why, before things can get any more chaotic, she calls the whole thing off and lets go of the most perfect man on the planet. There’s no way that Polly is going to tell anyone why she’s changed her mind. Some secrets are best kept hidden. But Grace and Bella are determined to get Polly and her fiancé back together if it’s the last thing they do. After all, solving someone else’s problems has got to be better than dealing with your own. . . . -- Atria

I'm sure you've noticed that I'm reading a lot of women's fiction lately. You can chalk that up to having both kids at home and having a lot less time to read (and concentrate!) One cute book that I recently read is THERE GOES THE BRIDE by Holly McQueen. This novel is a breezy read that's great if you're looking for a fun escape read, and it just might remind you of the Chick Lit you read years ago. (Well if you're about my age that is! If you're younger, you won't even know what I'm talking about!)

THERE GOES THE BRIDE tells the story of Polly, a young woman who is heading back to London (from New York) to marry the "perfect guy." Her older sister Bella and her best friend Grace can't wait for her to return home and start planning the wedding. However, Polly seems to be getting cold feet and cancels the wedding for some mysterious reason. Bella and Grace plot to get Polly and her fiance back together, but given the state of their lives, they should probably be more focused on fixing their issues.

I enjoyed THERE GOES THE BRIDE for what it was -- a cute story about three women with very messed up lives. This novel was very funny and had a cute plot, but it was definitely chick lit (not that there's anything wrong with that.) Bella and Grace were likable (even though their male counterparts weren't) and my heart even went out to them for their variety of problems. I never did get much of a grip on Polly until the very end of the story -- I think that was by design, though -- since the majority of the story was told through Bella and Grace's voices.

While I did have a good time reading THERE GOES THE BRIDE, I do have to say that the book was fairly predictable. That's honestly not a knock on the novel because I expected that when I picked it up. I pretty much figured out how the story was going to end and what was going to happen to the characters, but sometimes it's comforting to read a book like this, right?

What I can say about THERE GOES THE BRIDE is that, even though it was a fun book, there was some depth to the characters. Obviously Polly is dealing with some secret that is so big that she's willing to jeopardize her future happiness, but Bella and Grace are also dealing with some issues that many women will relate to. I don't want to give too much away, but some of the more serious topics in this book include infertility, adoption, insecurity, adultery, guilt, and a few more!

I liked THERE GOES THE BRIDE for what it was -- a breezy story about three woman who all had some baggage. It was entertaining and had a little depth, and it's exactly what you look for in books like this.

Thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy of this novel.